


Star Wars: A Fleeting Chance

by avengerandxman



Category: Star Wars Original Trilogy
Genre: Darth Vader Needs a Hug, F/F, F/M, Force-Sensitive Leia Organa, Han Solo Is A Scoundrel, Lesbians in Space, Luke Skywalker Needs A Hug, R2-D2 Saves the Day (Star Wars)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-31
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:47:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 26
Words: 36,381
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26218849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/avengerandxman/pseuds/avengerandxman
Summary: Anida Syko, despite an appearance some would deem unnatural, is wholly devoted to the Empire. When a chance encounter with a smuggler throws a wrench into what she's believed in all her life, Syko must decide whether to remain in the safety of the Empire as one of their best TIE fighter pilots, or to take a risk for the first time in her life.
Relationships: Han Solo & Original Female Character(s), Leia Organa & Original Female Character(s), Luke Skywalker & Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 7





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Mimiwritesfic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mimiwritesfic/gifts).



> This work was inspired by Mimiwritesfic, a dear friend of mine who patiently listened to all the gibberish coming out of my mouth after I rewatched Empire Strikes Back and then said "Write it." I hope you know what you're getting into, Mimi.

"All troops, the _Tantive IV _is in sight. Proceed to the hold and await further orders."__

__Anida paused, listening attentively to the intercom. When she heard the plan, she resisted the urge to roll her eyes. A boarding maneuver seemed unwise, even with a tractor beam. The Rebellion had proven in prior engagements that they were more than willing to sacrifice their own lives to ensure the completion of their goals. If even one explosive was set off, the already-damaged ship along with its fuel tanks would be unable to withstand the blast. Ordinarily, that would not be a problem, as the size of the _Devastator _did well to prevent even internal assaults. However, she knew from her diplomat father's tales that consular ships often carried extra tanks of fuel. If negotiations failed, a swift and sure exit was a priority. If those extra tanks exploded as well, where their fleet usually docked, they could lose an entire unit of troopers, as well as half of their TIE fighters!___ _

____It was a risky plan, and she despised risk. Risk put delusions of grandeur in pilots' heads, made them believe they could take on anything if their luck held. Risk was not an acceptable quality in a pilot for the Empire, and especially not in superior officers. Risk would get those stormtroopers killed if she did nothing._ _ _ _

____Her polished boots clicked in a staccato rhythm as she stalked down the hallway, weaving through stormtroopers heading in the other direction. Some waved at her as she passed, and she quickened her pace in response. Most fighter pilots didn't associate with the troopers, viewing them as cannon fodder. Those same pilots mocked Anida's Mirialan heritage and that she piloted a TIE fighter, viewing the first as a disgrace to the Empire and the second as a suicidal maneuver due to how expendable the craft was._ _ _ _

____They were wrong on both accounts. She knew that the troopers and she herself were valuable assets. While the troopers' skill was more than sufficient to make up the bulk of most ground assaults, Anida kept an eye on them from the air, engaging Rebel pilots that aimed to take out the walkers or speeders. She knew TIE pilots weren't supposed to aid the troopers, as most of them had to use that focus on keeping themselves alive. But she was better than the rest of her squadron, she knew that. So she watched over both Blade Squadron and the troopers. It wasn't a risk, her skill was more than enough for the task. Yet it had gotten her written up several times, by the same man she suspected was behind this idiotic scheme._ _ _ _

____Reaching the bridge, she found the man staring out the window into space, either oblivious or indifferent to her presence. From behind, he looked almost competent, the very picture of a man who deserved the title of Grand Moff. Then he turned, and she abruptly went back to loathing the man._ _ _ _

____Wilhuff Tarkin had vehemently protested her recruitment, going so far as to complain to other officers about choosing an alien to be a TIE fighter pilot. Their animosity had only grown worse since. Anida opposed his willingness to risk all for a moment of triumph, sacrificing the Empire's stormtroopers and her fellow pilots because he felt they were expendable. Tarkin routinely disparaged her skill, abusing his status as a superior officer to assign her the most menial of tasks._ _ _ _

____"Lieutenant Syko." His voice dripped with displeasure._ _ _ _

____"Grand Moff Tarkin, I must protest sending our troops on board a known Rebel ship without being aware of what is ahead."_ _ _ _

____"Of course you would find a flaw with my plans. It seems to be a hobby of yours."_ _ _ _

____"I would not find flaws with them if they did not have any." Anida bit her lip, forcing her voice to stay level. "Any explosion on board the ship would rip through the excess fuel tanks, creating a blast powerful enough to-"_ _ _ _

____"How do you know this?"_ _ _ _

____"Sir, I am a pilot, and thus it is my job to be aware of the capabilities of other craft. But if you must know, my father traveled on a ship that was much the same."_ _ _ _

____Tarkin smirked. "Ah yes, your father. Zafii Syko, the renowned diplomat. Did he tell you he was a traitor, or did you have to find that out yourself?"_ _ _ _

____Anger surged within her, and her hands trembled. She'd worked so hard, done everything she could to be loyal, and still she was thought of as the traitor's alien daughter. Enough was enough. "Did you know the plans being stolen was your fault, or did you have to find that out yourself, sir?"_ _ _ _

____For the first time since she'd met him, Tarkin had no reply. She could see his face reddening, his eyebrows drawing low over his rapidly narrowing eyes. Now she'd done it. At best, she'd be court-martialed for insubordination, drummed out of the Empire in disgrace, never able to fly again. At worst, it would be the airlock. Or maybe even death by Vader, if Tarkin had enough pull with him. She wondered what getting Force-choked would feel like. It was definitely painful, she'd seen it often enough to know that much. Would it be a gradual sensation, or a crushing feeling all at once?  
If she had a choice, she hoped it would be quick._ _ _ _

____A cold feeling in the pit of her stomach drew her attention away from the Grand Moff. She knew that feeling, having sensed it whenever he was nearby. It was something more than fear. Something that let her know that an apex predator was coming. She'd asked around, after her first meeting with him nearly made her pass out, only to find that no one else got that feeling. The general consensus was that it was a Mirialan thing, and she didn't know enough about Mirial's culture before the Empire came, or even about her own race, to dispute that._ _ _ _

____She stood upright and braced herself as Darth Vader entered the bridge._ _ _ _


	2. Chapter 2

His labored breathing echoed through the bridge, the only sound in a suddenly silent room. Anida dared not make a noise. Perhaps Vader was like a tooka. Ignore it for long enough, don't pose a threat to it, and it eventually ignores you.

"Lord Vader, this pilot seems to have accused me of treason."

The impassive mask turned towards her, and she sighed. Not like a tooka, then. She'd have to face her punishment head on, and hope he was merciful.

Who was she kidding? Darth Vader didn't do kindness. Several hundred Force-choked Imperial Navy officers were proof enough of that. Anida hoped that Tarkin would at least get some comeuppance from this as well, when his boarding party got blown to kingdom come. Vader would probably be even less pleased about that than he would be about her insubordination.That knowledge, that the stormtroopers of the 501st would die along with her, gave her the courage to act. 

"My lord, I was merely pointing out flaws that the Grand Moff didn't want to acknowledge."

Another hissing breath. "What flaws?"

Was that interest? From a Lord that regularly killed those that displeased him? Either she was supremely lucky or Lord Vader had been paying much closer attention to her than she realized. The thought made her skin crawl. 

"Sir, since the _Tantive IV _is a consular ship, it has excess fuel tanks. Those tanks could pose a threat if modified into explosives, as the blast would go off behind the _Devastator _'s deflector shields. You would lose the entire company of troopers, as well as half the TIE fighters if the flames spread."____

____"An astute observation."_ _ _ _

____Okay, now Darth Vader was praising her. This day was just getting weirder and weirder._ _ _ _

____"Thank you, sir."_ _ _ _

____Tarkin's face went through a range of very interesting colors. "My lord, you cannot be serious! You would listen to the ramblings of an alien?"_ _ _ _

____Anida seriously considered punching him. Hey, she was probably still going to die, she might as well go out doing something worthwhile. Then a shiver went up her spine as Vader leveled a steady glare at Tarkin. Wait, how could she know he was glaring? He wore a mask. What was going on?_ _ _ _

____"Grand Moff, I have found that one's heritage does not determine loyalty. Or competence."_ _ _ _

____What? Darth Vader was taking her side? The mysterious being who answered to no one as far as she knew was defending her? She stared in stunned silence as Tarkin deflated like a puffer pig, looking back at her with fresh loathing. Typical. He couldn't go against Vader, so he was moving her further up on his list of enemies. Knowing him, said list was several parsecs long._ _ _ _

____"Leave us."_ _ _ _

____Tarkin made a hasty exit, but not before shooting one last murderous look at Anida. She watched as the doors slid shut behind him, then shivered as the cold washed over her again._ _ _ _

____"My lord, may I ask why you defended me? Is there a particular reason that I would merit your attention?"_ _ _ _

____She wasn't expecting a response. Vader was notorious for his silence along with his power, and rarely spoke more than a few words at a time. What she'd heard him say today was more than what most superior officers heard him say in a week. Yet to her surprise, Vader answered her, sounding almost regretful._ _ _ _

____"You remind me of someone."_ _ _ _

____He stepped away from the window, opening a set of doors to the right with a gesture. A darkened corridor lay visible beyond, the usual lights in the hallway of a star destroyer dimmed almost to the point of blackness. Whether it was for subtlety, a warning, or some combination of the two, she had no idea. "Walk with me, Lieutenant Syko. I would have words with you."_ _ _ _

____Anida hesitated, but only for a moment. Sure, whatever power Vader possessed was more than enough to kill her, and he'd only displayed a willingness to hear her out, not to keep her alive. However, if she went back to the bridge, attempted to beg for Tarkin's mercy, that would be worse. In his eyes, she'd humiliated him in front of Vader, and his men wouldn't let him forget that anytime soon. Either she went to someone she knew despised her, or to someone who had shown her the slightest shred of interest. Given that, a choice between Grand Moff Tarkin and Darth Vader was no choice at all. She followed in his wake, heading deeper into the darkened corridor._ _ _ _


	3. Chapter 3

For someone that clearly had trouble breathing, Darth Vader could move far faster than Anida expected. In moments, he was beyond the doors, forcing her to jog to catch up with him. 

"Lord Vader, may I ask the reason for the hurry?"

No answer. She sighed, slowing down as she fell into step near him. Now this was more typical of Vader. Cryptic responses, displays of incredible power, then unexpected silence for no discernible reason. That annoyed her, since she disliked mysteries and unexplainable things. Anything you couldn't understand was that much more likely to bite you in the ass. For that reason, she'd made it her business to find out almost everything that went on around her, so she was never caught by surprise. Yet Darth Vader remained an enigma, one that she was nowhere close to solving.

At least he'd slowed down now. Maybe he was just being paranoid. You didn't get to be that high up in the chain of command without keeping one eye open. Her father had taught her that, along with so many other things a diplomat's child ought to know. He was without a doubt the reason she'd survived so long in the mess of scheming power players that was the Galactic Empire. Then he took a stupid risk and got himself killed. Now she was working for the Empire, the same thing he'd done, and she wouldn't be making the mistakes he did. She'd make herself essential, so the Syko family would be free of Imperial scrutiny. Even if that meant never seeing them again.

The hallway opened up before them, leading to another surprise. Anida thought she knew every inch of the ship, every nook and cranny. Yet the circular room just ahead was unfamiliar to her.

Vader, however, seemed to know it intimately. A wave of his hand closed the doors to the room, doors she hadn't even known existed. His attention shifted to the chamber at the center of the room, so hers did as well. Whatever drew Vader's interest deserved a closer look.

It sat on a hexagonal dais, and measured roughly nine feet in diameter. It obviously served a purpose besides decoration, yet she couldn't see any switches or control panels. How odd. Perhaps he opened it with whatever force he possessed?

A hissing breath from Darth Vader told her she wouldn't get her answers today. Turning to face him, she tried not to look too terrified.

"My lord, why are we here?"

"Lieutenant Syko, I have watched your career with great interest. Your piloting skills rival those of the greatest Rebel squadrons. I have need of such a pilot in Black Squadron. However, there are those in the Imperial navy that would see you fail. A public promotion would lead to infighting, which we cannot afford at this juncture."

She was so focused on the fact that he'd actually given her an answer, let alone a compliment, that the implications of the last sentence flew over her head at first. It took her a moment to realize what he'd said, and what that meant for her.

"Wait. You're promoting me, my Lord?"

"You have shown initiative and ambition worthy of one twice your age. The Force is with you." 

Well, now was as good a time to ask as any. "Excuse me, sir, but what actually is the Force?"

Vader was silent for so long she wondered if he'd even heard her. Was he thinking? Did he actually know, or did he just pretend that he did? Then he breathed again, the hissing noise filling the room.

"In due time. First, I have a task for you."

"What is it, Lord Vader?"

"I require you to accompany me onto _Tantive IV _."__

__That nearly broke Anida's mask of calm, but she regained her composure just in time. "My lord, if the fuel tanks rupture, you'll be killed. I would strongly advise against this course of action."_ _

__"I do not need you to advise me, Lieutenant. I need you to lead me to the excess fuel tanks. Or have you never been on your father's ship?"_ _

__The hair rose on her arms. How did he know that her father traveled on the same model? She'd never told anyone that, not even the members of Blade Squadron. Whatever this Force was, it was something to be wary of._ _

__"Very well. What else do you ask of me?"_ _

__Vader moved towards the chamber, which had begun to open like an egg being cracked. "I shall seek counsel with my master. Inform Blade Squadron of your reassignment and then report to the hold. I will meet you there."_ _

__Despite her best efforts to ignore it, worry swept through her. She'd started the day as the leader of her own squadron and now she was asked to enter battle with Darth Vader, the boogeyman of the Rebellion and killer of hundreds. Whatever else happened this day, her life was changing, and she didn't know when or if it would stop._ _


	4. Chapter 4

Anida hadn't seen much combat outside of a TIE fighter, but that didn't mean she wasn't prepared for it. Every member of the Imperial navy, pilots included, had to undergo mandatory weapons training before they flew any missions. She was no exception, having spent long hours at the target room until her aim was near-perfect. 

Regardless of who she was with, it would be prudent to bring a weapon. Rebels didn't stop shooting even when they'd obviously lost. It was irritating. 

She glanced at her blaster, snug as always in its holster. In a few minutes, she'd be firing it at live targets. Not an appealing prospect, especially when said targets had a nasty habit of shooting back. Brushing her finger over the trigger, she shoved it deeper into the holster before heading in the direction of the hold.

Most TIE fighters looked alike, and anyone who wasn't the commander of a squadron would have a difficult time telling them apart. The TIE fighters that made up Blade Squadron were no different, though Anida didn't have to look for long at the ships. She had another way of finding her fellow pilots. Glancing around, she started to look for Tis'bedi's distinctive mottled lekku. 

Whether it was a joke or something crueler, she wasn't sure. All she knew was that after she was accepted as a squadron leader, Blade Squadron became known as "The Alien Squadron." The nickname came both from her status as Blade Leader, something many human pilots resented, and from the fact that Blade Squadron was mostly made up of non-human species.

Soon enough, she spotted Tis'bedi, callsign Blade One. The pilot's cherry red skin was mottled with peach, a hallmark to her human father, but her swaying lekku and pointy ear cones told of a dalliance with a Twi'lek slave on Tatooine, of which Tis'bedi was the result. As Anida approached, she heard her muttering in Twi'lek. She didn't know the language, though the vehemence in her fellow pilot's tone told her all she needed to hear.

"Not happy about being near Tatooine?"

Tis'bedi looked up at her, then blew out a frustrated breath. "I joined the Imperial Navy to get away from there, not to go back. But enough about me. Are you okay? You look like you've been trampled by a bantha."

"I think I know what's going on." A burly Iktotchi man sauntered up next to Tis'bedi, giving her a calculating look. "Scuttlebutt says that one of Black Squadron's pilots got shot down over Alderaan. And there's only one pilot I know of that's competent enough to take the spot."

Anida sighed. "Dagio, quit it with the flattery. You know I'm still pissed at you for the mouse droid incident." Dagio Chawin, callsign Blade Two, cut an imposing figure, what with the maroon skin and two massive curved horns jutting downwards from his head. Tattoos from a past in a swoop bike gang on Corellia only added to his intimidating aura. Instead of being as serious as his appearance implied, Dagio was a professional pain in her ass, and if he wasn't the best shot she'd seen in a long time she wouldn't go to the trouble of covering up his antics.

"Hey, I saw you laugh when Piett screamed loud enough to wake the dead. Shrapnel is a proud member of Blade Squadron and you know it!"

Feet pounding on the floor made them all jump. The doors slid open as Kassa entered the hold at a breakneck clip, Lizdan following close behind. Kassa, callsign Blade Three, came to a stop first, the Mikkian gasping for breath as they held onto a surprised Dagio for support. Their purple cheeks were flushed, their lavender mane of head tendrils waving wildly. 

"Kassa, you know better than to make a scene in front of the rest of the crew."

"Sorry Blade Leader, but Dagio said you had news for us and to come as fast as we could." Despite her best efforts, Anida couldn't be that angry with them. She knew this wasn't the first time Kassa had been taken in by their friend's tricks, and it probably wouldn't be the last. For such a skilled mechanic, they could be surprisingly gullible at times. They also claimed to be a famous smuggler using the Empire to hide out from bounty hunters. Whether they were actually one or not was the subject of great debate among Blade Squadron.

"Did he now?" She narrowed her eyes at the Iktotchi, who abruptly found something on the floor to be of great interest. "Lizdan, I thought you knew better."

The only human in Blade Squadron groaned, rebraiding her red hair into a complicated style without breaking eye contact. Lizdan Hannica, callsign Blade Four, hailed from Alderaan, and was the eldest daughter of House Hannica. Regardless of her noble status, she was an excellent navigator, always seeming to know exactly where she was in space at any given time. "To be fair, the entire ship's buzzing about you insulting Tarkin and then vanishing with Vader. Something happened in there, and I wanted to get here as fast as I could to find out what."

Now all together, the pilots of her squadron stared at her, practically vibrating in place with anticipation. She grit her teeth, tears pricking the corners of her eyes. Tis'bedi's deadly accurate bombing runs and even more accurate sense of humor. Dagio's antics and impossible shots. Kassa's mechanical mastery and street smarts. Lizdan's high society mannerisms and navigational prowess. She knew better than to get attached. With the high turnover rate of TIE pilots, it only led to pain in the long run. But Blade Squadron had survived this long, and over time she'd let her walls down. Anida would miss her pilots.

"Dagio got it right. I'm being transferred to Black Squadron."

As the cheers went up around her, as her squadron sang her praises and mocked the Rebels who would have to face her, Anida let one tear fall. Just one, and when it had trickled down her face, she schooled her features into a mask of calm before talking with her friends one last time.


	5. Chapter 5

After several minutes of emotionally fraught goodbyes, Anida made her way to the center of the hold. As she walked, a banged-up mouse droid darted out of an alcove and began to follow after her. Stopping abruptly, she turned to face the droid as it circled around her feet. Shrapnel, as Dagio called this heavily modified mouse droid, had wreaked havoc on Imperial protocol and Imperial ankles for weeks before stormtroopers were able to find the specific droid that was at fault. At her fellow pilot's pleading, she'd successfully negotiated for its continued existence, and since then Shrapnel had developed a fondness for her, one she was trying desperately to nip in the bud before it went too far.

"Go on. Get out of here. If Lord Vader sees you you'll be scrap metal."

The droid, apparently having inherited Dagio's stubbornness, refused to budge. It wiggled a sensor, the levers bobbing up and down.

Something inside Anida gave way. She'd be losing her pilots, but she didn't want to lose anyone else. Not even a mouse droid called Shrapnel. Quickly checking to see if anyone was around, she leaned down and spoke to the droid, keeping her voice low.

"Look, I can only cover for you so much, and I don't know droid speak like Kassa and Dagio do. If whatever this is is going to work, you do what I say when I say it, no questions asked. Do we have an agreement?"

Shrapnel beeped happily, spinning in a circle before settling between her feet. 

"Guess that's settled. Now I just have to figure out how to protect you from Darth Vader. No pressure."

The cold settled over her again like a blanket, and she had to fight to keep from shivering. Whatever the sensation she felt when Vader was near, it was getting stronger. If it got any worse, or started affecting her work, she'd head to the medbay. Right now, though, she'd been given a job by a superior officer, and she was going to see it through.

As if on cue, the far doors hissed open, and Darth Vader entered the hold. He stood tall, his black cape fluttering in an unseen wind, a phalanx of stormtroopers marching in step behind him. The stamp of feet was almost deafening. Stopping in front of her, he took a rattling breath as he stared down at Shrapnel.

"What is this?"

"A distraction, my Lord. They'll be expecting stormtroopers, not a droid and an alien pilot." The mouse droid squawked in outrage, but Anida ignored him, focusing on Vader. "The extra fuel tanks are in the cockpit. I trust you can prevent them from going off with your Force powers?"

If he had a human face, she suspected he'd be looking rather insulted that she even asked the question.

"I take it by your silence that you can. I know you want to barge in blasters blazing, but the Rebels are smart. They'll detonate the fuel tanks before you can even get close. And while you're probably fireproof, the stormtroopers are not. Let me play the distraction while you lift the tanks out remotely. It's the plan that has the least risk for everyone involved."

For a moment, Anida thought he was going to Force choke her for her insolence. Then, he inclined his head in the smallest of nods. "I trust a pilot to know how to storm a ship. If you fail, and the fuel tanks detonate, you will be the first to die."

"I'm well aware, my Lord."

On that happy note, she walked up the steps of the consular ship, her droid following close behind. Vader had already cut a circle into the side of the ship with his lightsaber, likely for the stormtroopers to bust in. She wasn't anywhere near as strong, but the cutting strength of a lightsaber had made the metal brittle to the touch. One good shove should do it.

She paused for a moment to psych herself up, then pushed the circle as hard as she could. There was a loud clang as it fell inwards, followed by the sound of many blasters firing at once. She ducked, letting the blaster fire strafe the metal instead of her, then poked her head through the hole and returned fire. Smoke filled the air, but judging by the pained howl of a Rebel, she'd aimed well. Now for her backup.

"Shrap, now!"

With a series of very loud beeps and whistles, the mouse droid rolled through the hole in the side of the ship. Instead of blaster fire, she now heard snippets of confused conversation.

"-it's a droid, hold your fire, it could be rigged!"

"-what's a mouse droid doing here-"

"-are you lost, little guy? OW!"

The conversation broke off into screams and shouts of panic as Shrapnel began to sow chaos among the Rebel ranks. Anida took the opportunity to fire off a few more shots, and three thuds echoed from inside the ship, lost in the catastrophe the droid was creating. She raised her arm to aim again, and a pair of stray bolts caught her square in the shoulder, the impact sending her sprawling onto the floor of the hangar. The pain was immense, and she cried out, struggling to stay conscious. How was this worse than a crash? She'd been in worse crashes! Her droid rolled down the ramp at high speed, rolling back and forth next to her and beeping with what she almost thought was concern. As black spots swam through her vision, she put a hand to her shoulder, and her fingers came away tinged with blood. If this was what she suffered for fighting the Rebels, then so be it. She hoped Vader had at least done his part.

With a deep groan, the entire ship began to tremble. In one fluid motion, the tanks flew from the cockpit and through the windows, the breaking glass one noise amidst the cacophony. They rolled to a stop near her, rattling a bit before going completely still. Was that his way of showing off?

Vader's heavy footsteps resonated through her skull as he stalked around the edge of _Tantine IV _. He locked eyes with her, the impassive mask putting her on edge. She tried to rise to her feet, but the wound to her shoulder made it so she could only settle into a kneeling position.__

__"It is done. Seek medical attention. I will deal with the Rebels myself."_ _

__Maybe it was the pain, or the intensity of the fight, but Anida could almost sense anger behind his mask. She struggled to rise, only to fall to the floor again, her shoulder screaming from the exertion. The last thing she saw before blacking out was Shrapnel racing towards her, a pair of stormtroopers in his wake._ _

__Then there was only darkness._ _


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW for sex work, I guess. And galactic racism.

Unlike some of her fellow pilots, Anida didn't dream often. Her sleep was usually dark and warm, remaining that way for several hours until she awoke. When she did dream, it was of things she'd rather not remember. 

Ambassador Syko's very public execution, broadcast from Mirial onto every holonet in the galaxy. The furious arguments between the rest of the family after his death. Her mother Cesle struggling to make ends meet without an ambassador's steady income, coming home in a prostitute's outfit smelling of cheap alcohol and sex. Her sister Niri running away from home to join a rebel cell. Her extended family screaming at her as she walked up the Imperial shuttle's ramp, calling her a traitor and a coward and a disappointment to her ancestors.

____

____

The many, many fights with human Imperial cadets she'd had to keep secret for fear of expulsion, bandaging her own wounds with help from a very concerned medical droid. Wearing thick fabric to hide the scars from those attacks. Having to beg, borrow, and outright steal just to gain the attention of the higher-ups while incompetent pilots skated by on a famous name and frequent bribes. Finally flying in Ebon Squadron, only for all her fellow pilots to die before her eyes in a skirmish with the Rebellion over Yavin 4. Being interrogated like a Rebel for events she couldn't control. Carrying that guilt with her as she took the reins of her own squadron.

It was probably for the best that she didn't dream often. If she did, she'd be far less emotionally stable.

This dream, however, was different. She knew it was a dream, for she'd never been to a desert planet in her life. Mirial, her homeworld, was cold and dry, and her people didn't tolerate the heat well. She stared up into the open sky, the sun beating down on her face. Did Mirialans get sunburns? That was not something she wanted to find out.

Most of Anida's dreams were blurred and unstable, shifting from one scene to another in an instant. Not this one. It seemed content to strand her in the last place she wanted to be. She could feel sweat beading on her brow, as if she really was in a hot environment. Rocky cliffs rose up on either side of her, the wind whistling over the ancient stone. On instinct, she reached for her blaster, drawing the weapon slowly out of its holster. 

"Hello?"

Her voiced echoed off the walls, then faded into the arid air. She waited for a few moments, fingering the trigger as her body tensed up. If this was a setup, where she was right now was the perfect spot for an ambush. Fleeing up the cliffs wasn't an option without the proper equipment, she had no backup, forces coming in from either side could cut off both of her escape routes, and any sniper worth their salt could pick her off at their leisure without having to worry about her returning fire. A rifle versus a blaster meant for medium range? She didn't like those odds at all.

"You're not who I was expecting. Hello there."

She jumped at the unfamiliar voice, whirling around and firing a shot in the stranger's general direction. To her surprise, the hooded figure didn't flinch, drawing a metal cylinder out of their brown robes. There was a sound like a laser grid switching on, and a blue blade flared to life, deflecting her blaster bolt with the speed of long practice. She ducked as the bolt passed over her head, hitting the cliff behind her with a muffled boom.

Scrambling backwards, she tried to corral her panicked thoughts. This made no sense. Darth Vader was the only person, if he could even be called that, that she'd seen with a weapon like that. Now here stood this strange man on the top of a cliff, wielding the exact same weapon as him effortlessly. Who was he? Was he related to Vader somehow? He looked old enough that he had no business moving as fast as he did. She recognized the weariness in his eyes, though. She'd seen it on both sides of the battlefield. Whoever this man was, he was sick and tired of fighting.

"I do not follow your lord, but I will not harm you. Now put down the blaster before I take it from you."

Kriff. He was doing the same trick that Vader had done earlier in the day. Whoever he was, she didn't like him reading her thoughts any more than she liked her boss doing it. "Get out of my head and maybe I'll let you leave here alive."

"I gave you fair warning." The man sighed, before sheathing his lightsaber and raising one wrinkled hand. For a brief moment, Anida felt something surrounding her, a force as powerful as it was mysterious. Then the blaster flew from her hands, floating upwards through the air until it landed in the man's hand. He gave her a calculating look before pointing the stolen weapon directly at her chest.

"If I show you the same courtesy you did to me, now will you listen?"

She'd only seen him using a lightsaber thus far, but she had a bad feeling about this new development. Judging from his expert grip on the blaster, and his unwavering trigger finger, the man also knew his way around ranged weapons. He'd put a hole through her chest before she even had a chance to move. Not to mention that she had no idea how to counter or defend against a man with the same powers as Darth Vader. The only reason she'd survived as long as she did around him was that she knew not to anger him. That wasn't going to work on a man she'd just threatened to shoot. Reluctantly, she raised her hands above her head.

"All right, you win. Now who are you, where are we, and why did you bring me here?"

"So many questions for one so young. The Empire is truly becoming desperate."

"Hey, I'll have you know I'm twenty, and I signed up willingly!" Anida glared at the man, already beginning to dislike his cryptic manner of speech. "Look, just answer me and I'll be on my way. You didn't even mean to bring me here."

The man shrugged, lowering the blaster. "I am Ben Kenobi, though I suspect the name does not mean much to you. We are on Tatooine, but our bodies are fast asleep."

"How is that possible?"

"That is the answer to your third question. I sent out a summons to one much like you, yet he has not answered the call. Not yet. The fact that you responded instead shows that you are much like him. A pilot strong in the Force."

She scowled at that. This was the second time today that people had mentioned the Force and her in the same breath. It was clearly important, as both Vader and this Kenobi character seemed to know a lot about it, but she was still in the dark about what it was and what it had to do with her. "Vader said the same thing. Now what the kriff is it? I'm getting real tired of people telling me things and acting like I should know exactly what they mean."

Kenobi just smiled. "Search your feelings. I believe you already have some clue."

A wind whistled past Anida, blowing sand up into her face. She coughed and spluttered, closing her eyes to block it out. When she opened them again, the mysterious man was gone. So were the cliffs, the sand beneath her, and the sky above her. She stared out into darkness.


	7. Chapter 7

"Agh!"

Anida jerked awake, gasping as the artificially altered air of the med center entered her lungs. While the air, rich in oxygen content, was meant to help with breathing problems, right now it just made her jittery. Good. With what she'd just seen, keeping calm was the last thing on her mind right now.

She grimaced as pain shot through her shoulder. Pushing the blankets to the side, she hauled herself into a sitting position, ignoring the protesting medical droid as it tried to shake the blankets off of its head. Nausea threatened to pull her back down again, but she held firm, intent on gauging the severity of her wounds. 

Right beside her collarbone lay the results of two blaster bolts. The wounds themselves were about two inches deep, blackened circles that stood out sharply against her yellowish-green skin. The burn damage, however, was far more severe, a field of blistered flesh stretching from the side of her neck to her upper left shoulder. She'd definitely get a scar from this, despite the best efforts of the medical droid. Blaster wounds were tricky to heal, and even trickier to fix without leaving a mark. Dagio had told her that one night, after he'd gotten drunk enough to talk about his childhood on Corellia. "I hope you never get shot, Anida," he'd said, a faraway look in his eye. "Between the pain and how small you are, one or two good hits might just be enough to do you in."

It was one of the rare times she'd seen the Iktotchi gunner be deadly serious. Now, as she remembered that moment, she wished he was here to see that she'd lived.

A loud beeping noise brought her attention to the door. It slid open, revealing Shrapnel the mouse droid. He rolled into the room, whistling and clicking, and only stopped when he reached the foot of her cot. 

"Hey, little guy. You tried to get help, didn't you?" She remembered it now, the droid racing towards her faster than she ever thought a mouse droid could go. 

Shrapnel squawked happily in response, moving back and forth across the medbay. The medical droid finally disentangled itself from the blankets, only to see the other droid running over its feet repeatedly. If droids could curse, Anida had no doubt that the poor droid would be spewing out the worst swears in the galaxy.

"Oh good, you're finally awake."

Two stormtroopers entered the medbay next, their white armor clanking. Like most of her fellow officers, she had difficulty telling troopers apart. Shrapnel didn't seem to have the same issue, warbling contentedly as the troopers neared Anida's cot. A flash of recognition hit her as one of them leaned down to run his fingers over the droid's chassis. "You're the ones who the droid brought to me!"

The trooper inspecting Shrapnel scrambled to stand upright again, his bulky helmet doing nothing to hide his embarrassment. "KOT-627 at your service, ma'am! This here is ITY-872."

"A pleasure, ma'am." 

Anida tried to sit further upright, but her arm twinged as she braced herself on the cot. It must have shown in her face, because both troopers immediately rushed forward.

"That's probably not a good idea, ma'am. You took a nasty hit. If the droid hadn't gotten us in time, you would be much worse off. Right, Coyote?"

"Itty's right. Most troopers would be crying on the ground after a wound like that. You don't have to follow protocol if it's too painful for you, ma'am." KOT-627 scooped the blankets up from the floor, draping them over her legs. 

They were both making sense, yet her brain focused on the seemingly inconsequential thing. "Why are you calling me ma'am? Isn't that just for superior officers? I only outrank you by about two levels."

"Oh. That." Both troopers looked embarrassed. Itty shuffled his feet back and forth, while Coyote deliberately avoided making eye contact. Shrapnel, oblivious to the entire situation, resumed antagonizing the medical droid, who looked about ready to break out the scalpels. "Well, it's a long story. We were storming a rebel outpost on Concordia, a moon of Mandalore. It was supposed to be a quick fight. Get in, take out the grunts and capture the leaders, destroy the base, get back out. Only it didn't turn out that way."

"I'm not sure whether our intel was off, or it was just a run of bad luck. Maybe it was the fact that Mandalorians have been known for centuries as a martial race, and the fight was never going to be an easy one. Either way, our demolitions expert was about to blow up the door when he got strafed by an X-Wing. The rebels had air support, and we were not in any way prepared to deal with that. Forget about the mission objective, we were having trouble just staying alive. Within minutes, most of our unit lay dead or dying, and Itty and I were only minutes away from joining them."

"Then we heard six words over our comms, the words that made us realize we were all saved. 'Blade Squadron, form up on me!'"

"I could hear Tarkin pitching a fit, yelling at your squadron to focus on the X-Wings instead of pulling us Stormtroopers out of the firefight. So they did, obeying the very letter of Tarkin's orders. The rest of Blade Squadron broke off to engage the Rebel pilots, while Blade Leader stayed right on course, straight for the ships that were keeping us pinned down." Itty, having removed his helmet to better tell the story, smirked. He had dark brown skin, a military haircut, and piercing eyes set in an aging face. "Technically, you didn't disobey orders. He said Blade Squadron, not Blade Leader specifically."

"Itty was worried for you, saying that you had no chance against three X-Wings. He was right. You had no chance of losing. The fight was over within minutes. No, I'm not doing it justice by calling it a fight. That suggests both sides stand an equal chance of winning." Coyote looked the same as Itty under his helmet. So they were clones. Had they fought in the Clone Wars? How many stories could they tell? 

"Anyway, that's why we call you ma'am. You risked your life for us when Tarkin was willing to let us die. That took some skill. Us troopers say that title doesn't determine rank, experience does. And you've certainly got plenty."

"It wasn't a risk. I knew I would succeed." Perhaps she was being unnecessarily harsh with them, but it was the truth. Had there been any chance at all of her failure, she wouldn't have attempted a rescue. They were soldiers. They had to understand that no level of risk was acceptable, or she'd saved them only for them to die later.

Soldiers. The Clone Wars. Those two thoughts swirled around in her head, and a theory began to take root. It was a long shot, and not likely to offer any usable results, though there would be no consequences if it turned out to be wrong.

"Coyote, Itty, what were the generals who commanded you in the Clone Wars called? My squad mates are torn between whether they were mystical creatures or just normal warriors trained to near-perfection."

Well, that was partially true. Blade Squadron did have frequent debates about what had happened before the Empire rose. She just hadn't taken part in them, until now.

Itty, the one who'd talked the most during their brief conversation, was suddenly silent. Was that fear she saw in his eyes? Stormtroopers weren't supposed to be afraid of anything. "Are you sure you want to know this? If anyone finds out we told you, we're all dead."

"Told me what? It's a yes or no question."

"Kriff, you're stubborn. Fine. They were called Jedi and they had magical powers called the Force. That's all I can say without being too conspicuous, kid."

"Don't call me kid!" The retort came naturally, though Anida's mind was racing. Jedi had Force powers and lightsabers. Darth Vader had Force powers and a lightsaber. Vader had been a Jedi. She slipped her hand into her holster, only to find nothing there. It had been more than a dream, then. The man had taken her blaster and kept it when he woke up. Kenobi had been telling the truth. He'd been a Jedi too. 

If both of them said that the Force was strong with her, and both of them were former Jedi, then what did that make her?


	8. Chapter 8

"How long is this going to take, 2-1B?" Anida winced as the droid wrapped yet another bandage around her arm.

2-1B tutted back at her. "As long as it takes. I must say, you have been an extraordinarily difficult patient."

"Well, you don't have the best bedside manner either."

Shrapnel whistled a harsh note in the droid's general direction, and Anida was tempted to agree with his feelings on 2-1B. It had been several days since her injury, which was taking longer than she'd expected to heal. To be fair, she'd never been shot by a blaster before, yet she didn't think the recovery process would be quite so tedious. She hated being helpless, cut off from the rest of the star destroyer's crew and forced to rely on others to bring her food and water.

Worst of all, she was unable to fight. Her unimpressive physical might had been weakened further by the bed rest. At the moment, even a mynock could knock her over. Not to mention that there was still no sign of her blaster. She couldn't go around asking about its whereabouts, because then there would be questions about how she'd lost it. If she answered honestly, she'd be locked in the medbay for the rest of her natural life. If she lied, Vader would know, and he tolerated liars about as well as he did fools. 

Pain tore through her with no warning, like a thousand needles slicing her apart. She bit down on a blanket to prevent from screaming, tears streaming down her face. This wasn't her wound, this was nothing like it, what was this and why did it hurt? The agony increased, growing stronger and stronger, until it faded away as quickly as it had come.

Anida sat in silence, her hands trembling. When a knock came from outside, it took her a few moments to register that someone was there. 

"Open up, Syko!"

She knew that voice. Markus Bolvan was the gunnery captain of the _Devastator _. Hailing from Coruscant, the capital of the Empire, he took particular pleasure in abusing his status to assign menial tasks to aliens. There was no love lost between them. So why was he demanding to see her? Did he want to gloat?__

__"The door's open, Bolvan. Don't give the repair droids more work."_ _

__The man entered with a scowl on his face to rival Tarkin's. Anida could almost see a little black cloud above his head, he looked so angry. "That's Master Gunner Bolvan to you, Lieutenant."_ _

__"You and I both know you made that title up. Now, what brings you away from your post?" Her father, contrary to the way people thought diplomats should behave, had mastered the art of insulting others to their faces. Zafii had passed that skill on to his daughter, and it was one that she used frequently, as mouthing off to members of the Imperial Navy didn't tend to end well. What happened a few days ago with Tarkin had been a fluke, and she didn't intend to push her luck. Judging by Bolvan's tightening jawline, her implication that he was slacking off had hit the mark, but the hidden insult wasn't obvious enough that bringing it up to a superior would cause trouble._ _

__"I have a job for you."_ _

__"In case you've missed it, I'm recovering from wounds suffered in the boarding of Ambassador Leia's ship. Whatever job you have, it can surely be passed along to someone in better shape than I am." Not to mention that she had no intention of doing work for Bolvan that he'd probably messed up himself._ _

__"It's a recon mission to Tatooine. In and out."_ _

__"Anytime people say something's simple, it usually isn't. What aren't you telling me?"_ _

__"Wow, you really have been out of the loop." Bolvan grinned nastily, and she resisted the urge to sic Shrapnel on him. "When Princess Organa was captured, she didn't break under torture. Not even from an interrogation droid. They tried one more time today before giving up."_ _

__"Wait, today?" Had she felt the ambassador's pain? Anida knew interrogation droids had many needles, and the stabbing sensations she'd felt were definitely from thin and pointy things. She sighed. First the coldness whenever Vader was near, and now this. Kenobi could disarm her with a gesture, and Vader could strangle people without touching them. So far, she hadn't gotten any powers like that, just pain and cold from other people. If this was what they meant by the Force being strong with her, then she wasn't sure if she wanted it._ _

__"Interested in the Rebellion, Syko? Maybe I should report that. Anyway, there were no life signs in the escape pods, but Vader thinks she hid the plans in one of them. Troopers are being dispatched down there as we speak."_ _

__"What do you need me for, then?"_ _

__"The alien side of things." He smiled, like he'd made the best joke in the world. If she wasn't still recovering, she'd show him the alien side of things by putting her alien fists in his face. "Mos Eisley Cantina is where every piece of scum and villainy in the underworld goes to make deals. Whoever's interested in the plans will want to get them off-planet as soon as possible, and the cantina is where you go to find transport with no questions asked. Check out the clientele, order a drink or two, and report back to base once you've found a Rebellion-aligned smuggler. We'll take it from there."_ _

__"I'm not a spy, Bolvan. You know that. Couldn't you send someone more qualified for the job?"_ _

__"Any human that's not obviously shady will set off everyone's alarms in there. You're an alien, like most of their clientele. You'll do fine. But if you're still not interested, I can always send your friend Tissy."_ _

__"That's not necessary." Anida tried to keep her voice from trembling. Tis'bedi was still wanted by the Hutt clans for the murder of Bokool the Hutt, a local crimelord the Twi'lek hybrid had a violent disagreement with about the morality of owning slaves. If Bolvan sent her friend down to Tatooine, even in disguise, she'd be killed before the twin suns set. Judging by his cruel smirk, he knew that. She'd been backed into a corner. Much as she loathed it, the only way out she could see was to do Markus' bidding._ _

__"Good. I'm glad we understand each other. You'll find a shuttle waiting for you in the hold."_ _

__The door slid shut, the sound of his retreating footsteps beating like a drum in her ears. Shrapnel beeped shrilly, then rolled over to the foot of her cot. She absentmindedly scratched the top of his chassis, waiting until she couldn't hear anyone outside._ _

__"That kriffing pile of rotting bantha shit!"_ _

__She cursed some more, this time at a lower volume, before shakily rising from her cot. She only wobbled a little as she walked around, which was good. If this went bad, she'd need functioning legs for a quick escape. Her left arm was still numb, wrapped in enough bandages that its size was more than doubled. That would be a problem. While it wasn't infected, she still had trouble moving it, especially up or down. Just drawing a blaster would be an ordeal. Keeping her arm steady long enough to fire it, or making any accurate shots? Forget about it._ _

__"Sorry, Shrapnel, but you can't come with me. The criminals down there would look at you and just see a pile of credits."_ _

__Her droid warbled sadly, and she struggled to keep her face impassive. Somehow, over these past few days, she'd come to think of Shrapnel as her droid, regardless of the fact that Dagio had made him. "Go find Dagio, okay? If I don't come back, tell him what you heard Bolvan talking to me about. He can understand you, even if I can't. Who knows? Maybe you can get him court-martialed."_ _

__She heard Shrapnel's whooping all the way to the shuttle. Well, at least someone was happy about this._ _


	9. Chapter 9

Anida tugged at the collar of her disguise, the embroidered leather an uncomfortable feeling against her skin. She rarely wore anything other than a flight suit or her Imperial officer's uniform, and both of those outfits were nondescript and practical. The getup Bolvan had left in the shuttle for her was neither of those things. A dark brown longcoat with a hem that nearly reached the floor, a blue and white tooka cat embroidered on the back. Possibly a gang symbol, though she doubted any criminals using that as their logo would be a serious threat. White sleeveless shirt, tiny red triangles sewn into the neckline. Flowy light brown pants, the far too big cuffs tucked into black lace up boots with suspicious stains on them. Whoever had these boots before her seemed to have made a career out of face stomping. A beaded belt she'd bought from some Jawas completed the look, two WESTAR blaster pistols strapped to the belt's sides. She looked intimidating, like one of the bounty hunters she knew frequented the cantina. Her new look had cowed the Trandoshan bouncer into letting her in without too much of a hassle, and hopefully would be enough to dissuade any aggressive patrons. She'd be in deep trouble if it wasn't. Even though she'd been given some blasters to replace her stolen one, and good ones too, dual-wielding them would be impossible with her arm out of commission. If she just used one pistol to fire, someone would probably catch on that she couldn't use the other one. Criminals were cowards and opportunists, but they weren't stupid. 

Her gaze shifted to a group of Bith, dressed in black and pulling out what looked to be instruments.The people around her seemed to know them, everyone beginning to talk at once as the band started to set up. She wasn't much for music, having limited opportunities to listen to it. However, she knew a good distraction when she saw one. 

While everyone else scrambled to find a seat, Anida leaned back against the wall and began to survey the crowd again. Bolvan had told her to keep an eye out for "anyone looking suspicious", which wasn't helpful in the slightest. In this group, half the people in here fit that description. Two Devaronians argued with each other in their native tongue, their red skin growing steadily redder. Not them. They looked too involved in the dispute to be searching for anything, let alone secret superweapon plans. An Ithorian gestured forcefully at nothing, dozens of empty bottles littering the table in front of him. Unless his drunk state was an act, he'd be snoring before the first song ended. Not him either. 

She groaned, scuffing her feet on the floor. She'd been in here going on thirty minutes, and the only things of note were a band setting up, angry criminals, and drunk criminals. At this point, she was tempted to just draw her blaster, yell "Nobody move, this is an Imperial raid!" and see which people ran for the door first. 

A warbling growl off to her right made her ears prick up. That was new. Either she was sorely mistaken, or that was a Wookiee. Maybe now things would begin to get interesting. Pausing to slide the safety back on one of her pistols, she followed the growl to a large table near the back of the cantina, where several people sat playing sabacc. The aforementioned Wookiee had just made a bet Dagio would deem far too risky, but she wasn't going to argue with a seven foot tall creature that could tear her arms off without breaking a sweat. A brown-haired human with a smirk on his face patted the Wookiee on the back. She could almost see the credit symbols flashing in the man's eyes. Their opponents, two Lutrillians and an armored Zabrak woman that was probably a mercenary of some sort, looked downright murderous. 

"Fantastic! One more hand like that and we're rich, Chewie!"

Chewie? She'd heard of a Wookiee with that nickname a few weeks ago, from a more nervous than usual Kassa. According to the Mikkian's underworld contacts, Chewbacca and his human partner had pissed off Jabba the Hutt one time too many. The bounty on their heads was enough to make sure they couldn't set foot on any heavily populated planet. Which explained why they were on Tatooine. The partner had a weird name too. Hen Solo? Hun Solo? No, Han Solo. Kassa had laughed when they'd mentioned him. "He's a smuggler trying to strike it rich. Half the galaxy hates him. Personally, I have no idea why Jabba thought it was a good idea to hire him. I'd have been a much better choice."

"Kassa, you already have a job here."

"Well, yeah. I still need a hobby, though."

Solo shot a winning smile to the other players. "No hard feelings, right?"

The Lutrillians silently glared, one muttering to the other in a language Anida didn't know. At the same time, the Zabrak responded in Mando'a, then leaned to the side, reaching for something. 

Not good. If these criminals were bold enough to attempt murder in public, who knew what they would do to her if she was found out? Besides, while he was clearly incompetent, Solo fit the bill of someone acting suspicious, even for a criminal. People with large bounties on their heads didn't play sabbacc with bounty hunter opponents. Not unless they had a plan to get out alive. If he died on her watch, Bolvan would gladly take the opportunity to slander her further. An alien letting a human die? He'd have a field day with that. 

Just as the Zabrak drew a curved sword from under the table, she pulled out her own weapon and pointed it at the bounty hunter. "All right, Mandalorian. No sudden moves." 

"What do you want, _aruetii _?"__

__"I don't know Mando'a so I'm going to assume that's an insult from the way you're staring murderously at me. I do know that you're here for the bounty on Solo. As of right now, he's off-limits. I need him alive." She spoke in a low voice, not wanting to draw the attention of other patrons._ _

__"For what reason?"_ _

__"None of your concern. Now drop the sword or I drop you." Anida grit her teeth, sweat beading on the brow from her exertion. Apparently her legs weren't as well recovered as she'd thought, and her arm still hurt like hell. If the Lutrillians decided to get involved she doubted that she could draw the second pistol in time._ _

__A shot sounded from behind her, and one of the Lutrillians collapsed onto the table, a blaster falling from his hand with a clatter. Solo walked over to stand next to her, the muzzle of his blaster still smoking. His face was dead serious as he aimed it at the other Lutrillian. "Trying to shoot someone in the back? Even smugglers don't stoop that low. Me and the Mirialan are going to start up another hand of sabbacc, and I want both of you out before her turn is up."_ _

__Chewbacca roared in agreement, having drawn his own weapon. She didn't know exactly what it was, but both the surviving Lutrillian and the Zabrak eyed it warily._ _

__After a few moments, the Zabrak broke the silence. "If I see you again, _aruetii _, I will kill you. That is a promise." On that note, she picked up her sword and left, heading for the back exit. The Lutrillian followed soon after, calling both her and Solo all sorts of unflattering names as he went.___ _

____"Wow, what a bunch of sore losers." The smuggler holstered his blaster before slumping down right where the Zabrak had been seated. Anida didn't respond, keeping her blaster ready. "I don't know you, but I like you already. You really saved my ass. Ever played sabbacc before, my new friend?"_ _ _ _

____She made sure his hand was nowhere near his holster before she brought her blaster up again, aiming squarely at his chest. The grin slipped off his face as quickly as it had appeared. "We're not friends, Solo. I'm only keeping you alive because you have information I need. Tell me everything about your customers over the past several days or I shoot you in a place no man wants to be shot."_ _ _ _


	10. Chapter 10

Anida expected the man to cry out at his betrayal, or perhaps curse at her like the Lutrillian had done, or vow vengeance like the Zabrak. To her surprise, Solo did none of those things. He just shrugged and put his hands up in the air.

"Well, I suppose my luck had to run out at some point. Who're you working for? Black Sun? Another Hutt clan?"

"Don't change the subject." She angled her blaster further down, and was satisfied to see the smuggler's face clench. "Now, answer the question. Your customers. Tell me about any recent ones that acted out of the ordinary."

"You're not from any of the high-profile syndicates, then. They'd just blab on for a while, make implied threats rather than actual ones. You're way more ruthless."

"Flattery won't help you."

"Oh well, worth a shot. Anyway, I've started to do blockade runs since Jabba's after my head. It's way easier carrying people you can explain away rather than illegal goods you can't. Mostly just criminals who fucked up and need to get away fast, but once in a while I get someone unusual. This old man came to me a few days ago, said he needed to get offworld discreetly with a couple droids and a local kid. He had a white beard, brown robes, looked like he hadn't slept in days, paid way more than I thought a guy like him would be able to." 

Kenobi. So the Jedi was working with the Rebellion. Add to that what he'd said about trying to contact someone else with the Force, and what Han had said about him bringing a kid and two droids, and not only was Obi-Wan likely in possession of the plans, he had another Force-user with him as well. You didn't go offworld that fast, much less from a desert planet where nothing usually happened, unless you either had something to get away with quickly or had the Empire on your tail. In this case, both were true. She kept her face carefully neutral, but internally she was not nearly as calm. Jedi and smugglers and superweapons? This was way above her pay grade. And all of this because she'd insulted Tarkin. 

Solo cleared his throat. "So, I'm sure this will make your bosses, whoever they are, very happy. Good job. Can you stop holding me at blasterpoint now? If you don't kill me, the suspense will."

He seemed so casual, like he was asking for a drink instead of bargaining for his life. Nobody was that at ease, especially not when they were in peril. Not unless they had a sure way out. Something was wrong here.

"What are you up to, Solo?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." He paused. "Oh, the hell with it. Chewie, now!" 

A furious roar sounded from behind her, and some great force yanked Anida backwards, furry limbs pinning her arms behind her back. She struggled, but it was like fighting a planet's gravitational force, not to mention that her arm was burning with pain. How had a creature that big moved so silently? She'd been completely outmaneuvered by an alien that couldn't even speak Galactic Basic. If she got out of this alive, Blade Squadron would never let her live this down. If she died, the dead members of Ebon Squadron would probably give her the same amount of grief about it.

She could feel the Wookiee's rumbling growl in her bones. Reluctantly, she let her blaster fall to the floor, and the growling stopped. The tight grip remained the same, however, along with the claws digging into her wrists. She hadn't known the race had claws, or that getting poked by them would hurt quite so much.

"Now, let's start over." The smuggler bent down and picked up her dropped blaster, idly sliding the safety back and forth. "I feel like we got to know each other on bad terms, and you seem decent enough, aside from the whole blackmail and attempted murder thing. So I'm going to be nice about this. Give me a reason why I shouldn't kill you right now."

With a chill, she realized she'd sorely underestimated Han Solo. Sure, he was cocky and sometimes incompetent. Most smugglers would have shot her dead before she could pull out her blaster. But the man was serious when it counted, showing no qualms about killing others and aware enough to formulate a plan while his life was threatened. She'd seen his easygoing manner and thought him an easy way to get the information she needed. This was the result of her poor judgement.

If there was any consolation, it looked like he was underestimating her too. His tone was so patronizing it made her nauseous, and he had no way of knowing her status. Plus, he seemed just as eager to keep his presence secret as she was. She could use that. Maybe this situation could be salvaged, preferably before the Wookiee ripped her arms off.

Anida gathered her wits, a plan forming in her mind, then shot him a disdainful look. "You want a reason? Fine. I know you're a good shot with that blaster, and I'm reasonable enough to know when I'm outmatched in a fight. Do you think you're the best shot in this bar?"

"Lady, I'm not even the best fighter in this bar. Riyirn, the Zabrak from earlier, could kill me before I even knew she was coming."

"That's a no, then. All right. Second question. Do you think you're fast enough to shoot me before I yell out that Han Solo is in this bar? Not to mention that if you kill an Imperial officer, you'll lose what friends you have left real fast. You'll be dead before you reach the door, and that Wookiee of yours will be in the spice mines for the rest of his natural life. Let me live, and everyone in the bar will kill you. Kill me, and the Empire will. Your move, Solo."

The smuggler was silent, but she saw his finger tighten on the trigger. Chewbacca wasn't that discreet, wasting no time in letting her know his feelings on the subject with a deep growl. Before she could react, he'd tightened his grip on her injured arm. Stars swam before her eyes, and she saw the shoulder of her longcoat turn steadily redder. The pain was excruciating, and she bit down to keep from screaming, the taste of copper and salt filling her mouth. 

"Chewie, stop!" Solo's voice went up an octave, rushing over to his partner. "She's injured! We don't do torture! Yes, I know she threatened us. But we threatened her too, and I don't think the Empire is giving her much of a choice about this, or she'd be here with backup. Let her go before she loses the arm!"

With a huff, the Wookiee released her. Anida coughed and sputtered, blood spattering on the floor from her mangled tongue. Clutching her arm, she swayed on her feet before she felt Han's hands on her back, guiding her to another empty table. She nearly missed the chair, bumping into it several times until she finally fell onto it. 

"Wow, you're in bad shape. What happened? Rough day putting your boots onto the neck of the entire galaxy?"

"Shut up, Solo. You're the one who had your Wookiee aggravate my injury. This is at least partially your fault." She gripped the edge of the table, her breath coming hard and fast as the pain ripped through her upper body. The Wookiee in question sat down beside her, rumbling with concern. She rounded on him. "And you! Now you decide to be sympathetic after nearly tearing off my limbs? Either do it or don't, but stop trying to be worried about me when you're clearly not!"

Chewbacca gave an offended huff in response, reaching out a massive furry paw to her. A piece of cloth with glowing blue dots attached to it rested in the middle of his palm. 

"What's that?"

"You're telling me the Empire doesn't care about its officers enough to heal them? I'm not surprised. This is a bacta patch. It's like an upgraded bandage. Let the record show I don't want to heal you. If you threaten a Wookiee you have it coming. However, Chewie seems to think we owe you for making your wounds worse. I don't like to argue with a fuzzball that can rip my limbs off, so he's the reason you're getting treatment. I'd thank him if I were you."

"I trust him. I don't trust you to let him do it so easily. I've only got your word this doesn't have drugs or poison on it, and after today, your word is about as trustworthy as rotting meat."

Now it was the smuggler who looked offended. "I'm shocked, sweetheart. Deeply shocked. I thought Imperial officers had better insults than that." 

Anida was about to give him some insults to remember when she felt her coat being pulled off her. "Hey!" She felt the Wookiee's furry paws placing the patch onto her upper arm and part of her shoulder, pulling down the right side of her shirt to make sure the patch covered all of the wounds. The jolt of the bandage made her wince at first, but she soon felt a cold sensation on her upper arm. The blaster wounds looked less angry already, and she felt the pain begin to slowly decrease as she took some deep breaths. "Huh. That's nicer than I expected it would be. Thanks, Chewbacca."

Of course, Solo had to ruin the moment. "I feel better now that I've seen you slightly shirtless. I'm not going to lie, you're fairly easy on the eyes."

"I'm not interested in men, Solo. Especially not you. Go try your ladykiller routine on someone else." She kicked him under the table for emphasis, landing a solid hit on his shin. Chewbacca huffed in a way that sounded almost like laughter, and Han glared at him.

"Laugh it up, fuzzball." Scowling, the smuggler looked off to the right. He was trying not to show it, but something had caught his interest. "Oh boy. Looks like someone doesn't know about the no-droid policy."

"No droids?" She followed Solo's gaze, and her eyes landed upon the bartender, who was involved in an argument with a kid barely into his twenties. True to what Solo had said, the kid then sent his protocol droid and astromech outside. He started to walk to the bar, then stiffened, like he'd been hit with a blaster set to stun. Turning his head to the side, his eyes met hers for a brief moment, and she felt a warm sensation wash over her. If the feeling when she felt Vader nearby was the deep cold of outer space, this feeling was like sitting in front of a warm fire back on Mirial. Mirial. She hadn't been home in so long, and now this stupid Force-sensitive kid had to remind her of what she'd lost there.

Then she felt another sensation, an old and powerful presence. One that did not seek out battle, but would not hesitate to meet it if necessary. The hairs rose on her arms as she turned to look into the ancient face of Obi-Wan Kenobi.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update, school is kicking my ass. From now on, this will update on the weekends.

They stared at each other for a moment, the battle-weary Jedi and the prodigy pilot. His gaze was piercing, far more so than any human gaze had a right to be, and Anida winced. Eye contact wasn't supposed to be painful, yet she felt pressure behind his stare, and it was giving her the worst headache she'd ever had. She tried to look away, only to find that she was unable to. Something was holding her head in place and worming through her mind, and she'd bet a hefty amount of credits that it was the same Force that had stolen her blaster. 

Well, grand theft blaster or something along those lines was not going to happen again. Not until she got some answers out of the man. 

"Give me my weapons back, Solo," she muttered through clenched teeth. The kid walked up to the bar, bold as you please, a bright spot in a hive of criminals. With an attitude like that, he'd be shot in the back before the day was done.

The smuggler, though he'd let his Wookiee heal her, had unfortunately kept his smug attitude. "Why the hell would I do that?"

"Right now, I am getting mind-probed by your customer. He's not being gentle about it, either. If he finds out you told an Imperial about him, do you really think he'll let you live?"

"Dammit." Han cursed at the same time that Chewbacca grumbled. Did Wookiees even have expletives? "You're good, lady. I'll be level with you, I don't know much about this Kenobi either. But nobody in here takes betrayal lightly, and I doubt he'll be an exception."

"You didn't betray him. You took the best possible option."

"Says the jackbooted thug."

"Oh, now the smuggler's preaching at me. The smuggler who tried to torture me, who's worked for Jabba the Hutt, who is currently wanted by nearly everyone in this bar. You do not get to claim the moral high ground here." Anida threw up her hands in frustration. "So either shut the fuck up and give me my blasters, or I walk out and let the mysterious and likely crazy man kill you."

One second passed. Then two. At the three-second mark, Solo sighed, sliding the twin blaster pistols across the table towards her. While her arm wasn't at full strength yet, the bacta patch had helped enough to let her slide the pistols back into their holsters in unison. 

"Thanks for your cooperation."

"Don't patronize me. The only reason I'm doing this is that you've left me no other option."

"Why Hen, I thought smugglers did their best work backed into corners."

"You remind me of someone, and that's not a compliment." Han glared at her, and at the same moment, the pressure on her mind abruptly stopped. Either Kenobi had got what he needed out of her, or he was distracted. 

Turning her head, she saw to her dismay that it was the second option. The former Jedi had shifted his attention to the kid, who seemed to have gotten into a disagreement with some of the criminals. She didn't recognize either of them, but that didn't mean they were any less dangerous. The unknown was more of a threat than a foe she knew everything about. 

"He doesn't like you."

There it was. Whoever the human was, he was clearly bored, drunk, and ready to pick a fight. She assumed the same went for the Aqualish, though without knowing the language she couldn't be sure. The kid didn't seem to want a confrontation, though, sizing up the two patrons before going back to his drink. Blue milk? He was younger than she had thought, about a year behind her. From his face, she doubted he'd ever been in a fight. 

"I don't like you either!"

This had gone from bad to worse. If Kenobi intervened, there would be chaos, and her target could slip away easily. The smuggler knew the area, she did not. But if no one intervened, the kid wouldn't survive. He carried a blaster, though carrying a weapon was not the same thing as shooting it, and both of the men looked far stronger than he did. Kriff. Why did she care so much if the kid died? He was stupid enough to walk into a bar with no plan of getting out, and naive enough to think that bullies would go away if you simply ignored them. He deserved what he had coming to him.

It would be a risk, she didn't do risks. Don't get involved. Walk away, bring Solo in, get him to spill where his customers planned to go. Never see Kenobi or the kid again. Never know what happened to them, or if she could have done anything.

The human bragged again, something about having the death sentence in twelve systems. The kid replied calmly, but she saw the fear in his eyes. He was desperate. Realizing that he was in over his head. Looking for a way out, and watching the seconds of his life tick away. 

She knew the feeling. 

The human shoved the kid into a table, the wood cracking under the kid's weight. From her spot at the table, she slowly raised her arm and shoved him back. An invisible force slammed into the man's chest, sending him stumbling backwards into the bar, the very picture of someone that had too much to drink. She didn't have time to congratulate herself. If this was going to work, she needed to act quickly and surely.

"What did you do, lady?"

"Doesn't matter now. Do you know who the human is?"

"Yes, Dr. Cornelius Evanzan, a real sweetheart, wanted for crimes against the galaxy-"

"Thanks. Stay here and don't move."

"Wait. What the hell-"

She didn't wait for the rest of his sentence, rising to her feet and drawing both her blasters. Time to channel her inner bounty hunter for the second time that day.

The Aqualish lunged at her as she approached, spitting obscenities in his native tongue. She brought up her right blaster almost lazily, shooting him in the kneecap. He crumpled to the floor screaming, smoke rising from his knee. So far, so good. She just needed to fool a lifelong criminal and a Jedi. No pressure.

"Dr. Cornelius Evanzan. You're coming with me. Or are you too drunk to function at the moment? Works for me. The bounty doesn't specify how many pieces you have to return in."

"Oh, is this about the incident on Milvayne? They still call me the Mutilator over there. Rather rude, don't you think?"

"I'm not here for a list of your crimes. I'm here for the bounty. Now, drop the blaster and get down on the ground, or I'll give you some new holes to stitch up."

"No blasters!" The bartender's bellow caught her off guard. She turned to glare at him, and a shot grazed her shoulder, tearing the bacta patch in two. Dropping to the ground, she rolled to the side. Three bolts strafed where she'd been standing. Great. She should have killed the Aqualish instead of crippling him. She was getting soft.

Said Aqualish now knelt next to Evanzan, both of them having drawn their blasters. Maybe if the bacta was still in effect and her shoulder wasn't bleeding again, she could outdraw them. Maybe. But that wasn't going to happen, and now, despite everything she'd done to prevent it, she would pay the price for playing the hero. Just like her father had. 

A blur of brown darted in front of her, and suddenly a blue blade arced downwards and the Aqualish was screaming. Anida watched numbly as a severed arm thudded to the ground in front of her. There was very little blood, oddly enough. A cut like that had to have hit every major artery. Yet the base of the arm was charred and blackened, the only blood on the limb trimming the sides. Only a laser weapon did that. She'd seen enough of them in action to know.

With a humming noise, the blade moved from side to side, deflecting Evanzan's panicked shots. Then Kenobi counterattacked, cutting a large slash across the man's chest. He collided hard with a barstool, dropping to the floor next to the Aqualish. He had stopped screaming, and looked to be going into shock, staring at where his arm had been and not saying a word.

Carefully and precisely, the former Jedi sheathed his lightsaber. As he headed over to the kid, who looked bruised but otherwise unhurt, she got to her feet and headed back towards Han's table. To her relief, she was given a significant amount of space, most criminals moving to clear her a path, though the whispers she heard as she passed by concerned her.

"-never seen a bounty hunter do that-"

"-the old man's definitely in on it-"

"-is Evanzan dead? Kriff, I hope he is-"

Maybe she should have been more subtle with her first conscious use of the Force. While she knew now that it worked, she'd revealed herself to the kid, and to Vader if he could sense her all the way down here. She hoped he'd been preoccupied, or her life would be much shorter than she'd like it to be.

She knew in her heart he hadn't been. He was promoting her, of course he'd have kept an eye on her! He knew she had the Force, and he'd know in an instant that she had used it. Lying wouldn't help. No one kept secrets from the Empire and lived. She'd done one good thing, and now it had messed up everything she'd worked so hard to accomplish. Why did doing the stupidly heroic thing have to be so hard? What would she do now? Run? To where? Back home to Mirial? Would they accept a defector, especially one that hadn't run for any moral reasons but just to save her own skin? 

Then there was Solo. He was a magnificent bastard who knew far more about her than she liked. Ideally, she'd kill him. But then she'd have a furious Wookiee and a Jedi on her tail, and without the help of the Empire she wouldn't last long against one of them, let alone both. Tricking him wasn't an option either, he'd been betrayed by her once and she doubted he'd let her pull a similar con on him again. Setting Kenobi against him? Nope. That man was much too smart and much too dangerous to try and deceive, and he wouldn't want to move against the guy that he needed to get off-planet. The kid, though, that could work. She could sense the kid's cockiness from here, and if he was as similar to her as Kenobi claimed, he wouldn't back down from a fight he knew he could win. Or thought he could win. Yes, it was all coming together. Solo's comeuppance and a free ride off-planet, ideally as far away from the Empire as she could get. 

"This is Chewbacca. He's first mate on a ship that might suit our needs."

As the Jedi, the Wookiee, and the kid approached, Anida began to thread together yet another plan.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As promised, a weekend update!

Han slid down further in his seat. Whether it was an attempt to appear cocky or trying to hide from the former Jedi's mind probing, Anida wasn't sure. She sat down next to him, and he glared at her for what must have been the tenth time that day. 

"Do not fuck this up for me."

"Wouldn't dream of it." She busied herself with checking and re-checking her blaster triggers. Her arm was in worse shape than it had been at the start, but she was reasonably confident that she could outdraw the kid. Kenobi or Solo, or even Chewbacca? That was doubtful. Maybe if she held the kid hostage or something? Then again, that would draw way too much attention. She'd already made a scene with going after Evanzan, another situation like that and she'd be run out of the bar.

The weight of Kenobi's gaze landed on her back, like a rock hitting right between her shoulder blades. She cursed. Planning to attack someone under the mind-reader's protection? It wasn't the first mistake she'd made that day, and it certanly wouldn't be the last, but it was one of the biggest thus far. She shook her head at her own stupidity, trying to clamp a wall over her thoughts. Had he read her? Would he go after her like he had the two thugs?

"Han Solo. I'm captain of the Millennium Falcon."

She felt more than saw the old man's gaze shift away from her, and she sighed with relief. Thank whatever quasi-deity Tatooine had for cocksure smugglers. The kid didn't seem convinced, though, twin blue eyes looking her up and down. They were lighter than Kenobi's, but no less intense. He was strong. Stronger than she'd thought, stronger than Kenobi. However, she couldn't feel the control the former Jedi possessed when she looked at the kid. Powerful, then, but untrained. Like she was. Maybe he was going to be taught? She couldn't let that happen. 

"Chewie here tells me you're looking for passage to the Alderaan system."

Alderaan? What could they want there? Surely they weren't looking for Lizdan. House Hannica was loyal to the Empire, she knew that. Was kidnapping a possibility? A princess would be an excellent hostage, and the house's defense systems would be no help against a Jedi, even a former one. Or was Leia being moved to Alderaan? An unwise move, though one that she could see Tarkin doing. He'd claim that this would be a test of Alderaan's allegiances, when in fact it would aggravate the houses even more. Despite the planet's outward claims of loyalty, she doubted that many of the houses would tolerate a member of their monarchy being held prisoner on their own planet. Civil war would be a certainty. Maybe that was their plan, to exacerbate tensions between Alderaan and the Empire. 

"Yes, indeed," Kenobi replied. "If it's a fast ship."

Anida tuned out Han's outraged response. She didn't have time for the tough guy dry humping that question would set off. Instead, she locked eyes with the kid, who was trying and failing not to stare at her.

"What? Never seen a Mirialan before?"

The kid's squeak was adorable. "Sorry! I just don't see many aliens that aren't native to here."

"Well, now you have. Stop staring."

He looked like a kicked puppy. She almost felt bad about being so curt with him. Almost. Then Solo named an outrageous price, and his head shot up. Perfect. Now to stoke the flames of his annoyance.

"Ten thousand? We could almost buy our own ship for that!"

"But who's going to fly it, kid? You?"

"You know he's scamming you, right?"

Everyone stared at her. Han and Chewie looked very annoyed, Luke looked triumphant, and she couldn't get a read on Kenobi. Oh well. It was now or never. "I'm serious. I can fly you to the Alderaan system for five thousand and a promise not to pry into my affairs. I'm a far better pilot than he is, and I can guarantee you there will be no Imperials on our tail."

"Excuse us for a moment. My colleague and I need to have a talk." Before she could do anything about it, Han was pulling her out of her seat and towards a less crowded corner of the bar. He let go, then got in her face. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Get out of my face, Solo. Or do you want a repeat of what almost happened?"

"As I recall, Chewie nearly tore off your arm. So yes, I do want that."

"Sadist." She sighed. "Look, I'm going to be honest with you." 

"An Imperial being honest? That's a first."

"Shut up, smuggler. I need to get off-planet now, and you are the only person who might not turn me in because of what I'm holding over your head. Long story short, I did something risky just now and I will catch hell for it if I don't leave. The longer I'm on this planet, the slimmer the chances of both our survival become."

"Who did you piss off?" He looked absolutely gobsmacked. That settled it. He didn't know as much as she thought about the Force or about Vader. If he did, he'd have shot her dead the moment she shoved Evanzan. 

"Someone very powerful and very unforgiving."

"And you're telling me we need to work together?"

"For the time being."

He was silent for a moment. "Dammit. I don't want to trust you, but whatever scares you should probably scare me as well. Fine. I'll take you wherever you need to go, but on two conditions."

"Name them."

"One, after this I never want to see you again. You're sadistic, amoral, and untrustworthy." 

She shouldn't be that offended by a criminal's words, she knew that. Yet for some reason, what Solo said rubbed Anida the wrong way. She wasn't sadistic or amoral. She did what was needed to win a fight, no more, no less. She wasn't untrustworthy either, she hadn't outright lied to anyone about her involvement with the Empire ever since she signed up. People knew what they were getting into when they dealt with her, and if they didn't ask they deserved what was coming to them. 

"I could say the same things about you. The second condition?"

"You're not traveling alone with me." He gestured to Kenobi and the kid, who by now were locked in their own private discussion. Chewbacca watched with mild interest. "Either you travel with the old man and the kid, or I'm not taking you."

On a purely strategic level, she admired his plan. If she tried anything against him, he'd have both a former Jedi and a Wookiee to protect him. That most of the passengers hated her didn't bode well for her continued survival. "Excuse me? You're putting me on a ship with a bunch of people who will hate my guts if they find out who I am and expect me to come out of this alive?"

"Sweetheart, this is your only option. If I were you, I'd take it." 

Han smirked at her before sauntering back to the table, presumably to negotiate things with his other passengers. She rubbed her arm, which had started to twinge again. Seeking passage from a smuggler she'd tried to kill? Not one of her best plans. Then again, the smuggler in question was right, as much as she hated to admit it. She didn't have any other options.

A glint of white caught her eye, and she froze, staring intently at the newcomers. The bar was still noisy, the band having launched into another song, but she'd be a poor servant of the Empire indeed if she couldn't recognize the tramp of stormtrooper feet. They were here.


	13. Chapter 13

Solo must have had some previous run-ins with the Empire, because he looked about as pleased as she did to see the stormtroopers. "Well, shit. I'm assuming you didn't call them here, if the terrified look on your face is any indication."

"Shut up." Anida kicked him in the shin without looking, ignoring his yelp of pain. This was bad. Regardless of who they were here for, stormtroopers weren't idiots. They'd been led by Darth Vader enough to recognize lightsaber wounds, and half the bar had seen her Force-push, even if most of them had no idea what it was. For a hefty sum of credits, they'd be more than happy to blab to the stormtroopers about what they'd seen her do. Criminals were criminals, and money was far more important to them than saving an innocent person.

If they were getting technical, she wasn't innocent. Not in the least. She'd aided and abetted the Rebellion, spared Solo's life and the kid's, and not reported back to base on anything she'd found. Worst of all, she was a Force-user. No point in denying it now. She could feel feelings and move things with her mind, things both Vader and Kenobi could do. Force-users didn't live long in the Empire. She'd either get shot in the head and thrown out the airlock, or end up like Darth Vader. Anida shuddered at the thought. While neither option was particularly appealing, given the choice she'd take the airlock. She respected Vader, but she didn't want to be like him. All she'd ever felt from him was pain. Pain, anger, and darkness. She wanted there to be more to her life than that. Except there wouldn't be, because she was considered a wanted criminal, and a traitor to boot. Those stormtroopers would shoot her on sight, and everyone in the bar for good measure. Scorched earth tactics. No survivors. All her fault. 

"Snap out of it! Whatever the hell you're doing, stop it right now before they see us!"

She opened her eyes to see that the light above them was swinging like mad, faster and faster the more she focused on it. It would have been incredible if it wasn't going to get them killed. Taking some deep breaths, she stared at the wall, trying to empty her mind of anything but stillness and calm. 

After a few moments, the light stopped moving. Only then did she unclench her fists. She glared at Solo, who was staring at her with a mix of interest and fear. "You saw nothing."

"I know what I saw, lady. I also know it's probably a bad idea to keep you in here if you have no control over whatever that is."

"What's going to stop you from leaving me here and taking off with everybody else?"

"Docking bay ninety-four. Go before I regret this."

This was impossible. The smuggler was keeping his word? Even after she'd tried to kill him multiple times, and posed a clear and present danger to the rest of his passengers? He was either supremely cocky or had a backup plan. From what she'd seen of him, it was probably both.

Part of her wanted to weave through the crowd, check on Kenobi and the kid. Then the bartender started arguing with the stormtroopers, and her instincts won out. Better to flee and see if they made it than to stay and increase the odds that they didn't. Stopping only to tighten the bandages, she darted out a side door, wincing as the heat slapped her in the face. Now to find a docking bay on a planet she'd never been to. 

Mos Eisley had a diverse population, a starkly pretty landscape, and a lot of places to buy very illegal things. One thing it did not have were visible street signs. Maybe it was the sand wearing them away, or maybe everyone here just had great internal compasses, but there were no navigational markers to be found. Anida cursed as she walked into yet another dead end. Every single stucco building looked the same! Not to mention that she had no idea what docking bays on Tatooine looked like. For all she knew they were underground.

She was almost ready to just give up and ask for directions when she heard a familiar beeping noise. Turning around, she saw Shrapnel rolling up bold as you please, clicking and whistling happily. He circled her legs like a happy tooka, then waggled his antennae.

"Yeah, I missed you too. I thought I ordered you to stay behind?"

The mouse droid let out a warbling huff before rolling forward and spinning in a circle. She moved towards him, and he beeped before doing the same thing. She didn't speak binary, though what he'd just done had given her a fair idea of what he wanted her to do. 

"You want me to follow you?"

Shrapnel rocked back and forth in what could only be deemed a yes. Well then. She'd likely have a better shot at following the droid than asking some locals for directions. At least one of the two wouldn't turn her in to stormtroopers. 

Kneeling down to lace up her boots, she then got up and hustled after the droid, who was far faster than she thought. What exactly had Dagio done to him? "Wait up, you little metal bastard!"

Anida considered herself a pretty good sprinter, though she sucked at marathons. Shrapnel had no trouble keeping ahead of her, and she was huffing and puffing by the time he rolled to a stop in front of what looked like a used speeder lot. Kassa had told her once that sand was rough on a speeder, and the amount of speeders she saw in the lot with busted servos told her the Mikkian was right. So Tatooine's residents needed speeders because traversing the desert on foot wasn't wise, but the sand damaged the servos, which meant that new speeders had to be bought frequently to replace the older ones. With that it mind, she headed to the front of the lot, where the former Jedi and the farmboy were talking with the speeder dealer. She watched as the kid completed the transaction, a disgruntled look on his face. The old man surveyed the rooftops, his eyes intent on any shadow or figure. 

She waited until they had started to move away before falling into step beside them both, making no effort to hide her presence. Spying on them would serve no purpose, and she doubted she could hide from two Force-sensitives anyway. "You know he ripped you off, right? That speeder was the only one in the lot without busted servos. You could have sold it for much more."

"I know that!" The kid snapped at her, eyes narrowing. He was definitely angry, though she suspected it wasn't at her. 

"We don't wish to draw attention to ourselves, Luke," Kenobi cut in. "Haggling would have annoyed him."

"Says the man who cut off a criminal's arm in a packed cantina."

Luke opened his mouth, whether to agree or disagree with her she wasn't sure, but then shut it just as quickly. His face went pale, his eyes focusing on something behind them. "Guys, we're being followed."

Anida didn't have to turn around to know he was right. She could feel their two pursuers through the Force, though their auras were familiar. The two troopers who'd come to see her in medbay. Coyote and Itty. Had someone sent them because they knew her? Did they feel betrayed by her defection? Whatever this was, it wasn't sanctioned. Troopers moved in groups of four when searching. They were here for something more personal.

Saying she knew them would not go over well. Kenobi already knew who she was. Luke didn't. Both of them were highly suspicious of her. If they got word to Solo that she knew them, there went her only chance of getting off-planet. She had to figure something else out, and quick. 

"Split up. They'll follow the person that doesn't look local."

Kenobi just nodded, while Luke looked rather put out. "We're just doing whatever you say now?"

"Look, farmboy, either listen to me or don't. I'm the one who saved your life back there, and you're seriously making me regret it."

She darted to the left, elbowing her way through the crowd until she couldn't see the two of them anymore. To her relief, she felt the two troopers turn and follow her. Definitely not sanctioned, then, if they prioritized her over the figure that was seen wielding a lightsaber. Whatever they wanted, she'd find out soon enough. She just hoped that what they wanted wasn't her death.


	14. Chapter 14

"Hey!"

Anida flinched at the yell, pushing through the crowd and away from her pursuers. Not good. To her surprise, the locals didn't put up too much of a fight, letting her elbow through them like nothing was happening. A few of them swarmed the stormtroopers, clearly angry at the intrusion. So they let her pass without an issue, but drew the line at letting agents of the Empire pass? She supposed a planet this far away from the Empire's usual reach wasn't subject to too many inspections, especially not on market day. 

She ran onward, passing by a series of stalls. Though Tatooine was a desert planet, she saw several stalls by the sides of the street, their wares placed in the middle of the path for customers to sample. A farmer's market, then. She'd seen several of those on Alderaan when Lizdan invited her to House Hannica's harvest ball. She remembered the taste of roasted starblossom fruit, bought on skewers from a jovial Twi'lek. 

Well, if this farmer's market was anything like the ones she'd seen on Alderaan, and fruit on Tatooine was as rare as she thought it was, the farmers that ran them must be very protective of their wares. Stormtroopers she might have a chance at outrunning, because she knew how most of them thought. The locals were a wild card, and one that she couldn't afford to anger. Sure, they tolerated her now, but that could change in an instant if she did the wrong thing. If that happened, she had no chance at all.

Vaulting over a bushel of green fruits, she kept going, taking care to avoid the offerings placed in the street. She was almost clear of the series of stalls when she heard a loud squishing noise from behind her. Against her better judgement, she turned around.

One of the stormtroopers, she wasn't sure which, had stepped on a large amount of the green fruits. She could hear them going splat underneath his boots as he cursed. From the locals' reaction, it was as if he'd stepped on a baby. They rose up with a great howl, furious at their wares being treated so carelessly by the Empire. The two troopers struggled against a surge of people, human and alien alike joining the fracas. Anida allowed herself a moment of satisfaction before she kept running. Hopefully the troopers' lack of respect for the locals had bought her the time she needed.

All Imperial officers were required to be in top physical condition, herself included. While ordinarily she would have little problem with a footrace, both the heat and a lack of direction were getting to her, making her slower than she usually was. Not to mention that she did better at short sprints anyway. She knew she should have asked either Kenobi or the kid for directions before they got split up. Probably Kenobi. He looked like he knew his way around urban areas. Luke looked like a farmboy who'd never been outside of his homestead before.

Luke. That was the kid's name. An odd name for someone who lived on Tatooine. That sort of name would be more common on one of the Core Worlds, or maybe the Mid Rim. Naboo, possibly. That planet had too many names with the letter E in them. Lizdan's brother Raymus had gotten in deep trouble for drunkenly saying that to the current queen of Naboo at a diplomatic function.

Her thoughts shifted to Lizdan, and the rest of Blade Squadron. If stormtroopers were after her, then it was more than likely they'd been told of her betrayal. Tarkin would be jumping at the chance to inform them, using this as a reason to justify his hatred of her. Your leader has defected, he'd say. This is why aliens should not be allowed to serve the Empire.

Of course, she was still technically leader of Blade Squadron, according to official channels. Only herself, her fellow pilots, and Vader himself knew of her impending promotion to Black Squadron. Now, with what she'd done, that promotion would remain secret forever. If Vader mentioned he had promoted a traitor, and in secret, the entire star destroyer would be up in arms. It would be political suicide, even for someone as powerful as he was. Not even his mysterious Master could save him from the court of public opinion.

Vader would deny any involvement with her, Force-choking anyone who questioned that. Tarkin would use her defection against the other aliens working for the Empire, spinning what happened to favor him and the other humans. Bolvan would weasel out of it by claiming he'd sent her to Tatooine to confirm her traitor status. Bastard would probably get a promotion out of this. What she didn't know was how her fellow pilots would react.

Tis'bedi hated being lied to, especially by those she knew well. She would be furious. Would that be enough for her to launch torpedoes at her former squadron leader?

Dagio wouldn't understand. He'd know there was something else going on. Would he investigate, or take the shot?

Kassa understood machines better than people, and often relied on Dagio for social translations. Would they follow Dagio's lead, or would they feel the need for revenge?

Lizdan would understand what happened, and why it happened. Like Anida, the Alderaanian noble made it her business to know things. Would she use that against her, taking all their late-night conversations and purely theoretical discussions to Tarkin?

The realization hit her hard. She stumbled, hands scraping against the stucco walls. She trusted her fellow pilots, to the point of knowing how they would feel in any given situation. Even this one. That was friendship. She was friends with them. She'd tried so hard to avoid any attachments, and it hadn't worked. Now, she'd done the unthinkable, and she had no idea if her fellow pilots considered her a friend in return. If they did, would that be enough for them to spare her life? Or would they sacrifice camaraderie to advance their careers?

"End of the line, kid."

The metallic noise of a blaster rifle being cocked echoed through the air. The previously belligerent crowds panicked, scattering to the four winds. Within minutes, the crowded street was empty. So that was what they did. They tried to help a fugitive if they looked like they had a chance, but fled the scene if the stormtroopers caught them. It was an ingenious stratagem that would win them the favor of the Rebellion or the Empire either way. She expected nothing less from the citizens of Mos Eisley. In fact, she'd almost be impressed, if she wasn't about to die.

Staggering to her feet, she stared into the helmeted features of Coyote and Itty. She didn't know which was which, and at the moment she didn't much care. They'd kill her either way. Despite what Rebel propaganda said, stormtroopers rarely missed, especially not at close range.

While Anida didn't want to die, she'd be lying if death wasn't on her mind most of the time. TIE fighter pilots had abysmally short lifespans, as her short stint with Ebon Squadron had proven. She'd seen too many pilots get shot down, or crash, or suffer a fatal mechanical malfunction. She'd always assumed she'd meet the same fate one day, when her skills failed her. What she hadn't expected was a public execution on a desert planet. Until now.

She kept her eyes open, intent on her killers. He would never hear this, of course, having passed on long before her. Not that she wanted to tell him. But now that she was about to die, she wanted to die like her father had. Staring, unblinking, into the pale face of death.

Two shots to the head. At the very least it would be quick.

"Get up, kid. We should have done the deed by now. Gotta get you to the docking bay before the locals wise up."

Another unexpected occurrence. Maybe she should try sabacc. "Wait, what? I don't know what you're talking about."

"For a traitor, you're a horrible liar." The other stormtrooper sighed. "We've been canvassing Tatooine for several days. We know about Solo and his escape plan."

"Then why are you helping me? You've got a chance to kill the traitor, stop the Falcon from taking off, and bag everyone involved in this whole mess, and you're not taking it? What is wrong with you? You're in a position to get everything you've ever wanted, why are you throwing it all away-"

"Kriff it!" The first stormtrooper yanked his helmet off, revealing Coyote. His face was red, the corners of his eyes were wet, and his eyes were so narrowed they looked like they were shut. She was used to seeing troopers with neutral expressions, not a mix of blistering anger and deep sadness. This was new. "We just killed several Jawas for getting in our way. They only wanted to sell droids. They had no quarrel with the Empire. We killed them anyway. Then we burned two civilians alive. They weren't even hostile, or armed. They were moisture farmers, for kriff's sake. Moisture farmers. And those aren't even the worst things we've done."

"We've been waiting a long time for just the smallest spark of hope." Itty was quieter in tone, but no less intense. "Then we found you."

"Me? I'm just a pilot!"

Coyote scoffed. "You forget, kid, we served in the Clone Wars. There were a lot of pilots like you in that conflict, who did things I know you can do. They pulled out of crashes that would have killed normal pilots, made impossible shots, and knew where enemies were without looking. Guess what they all had in common?"

"Natural talent?"

"Yeah, some of them had that too. Plo Koon. Adi Gallia. Anakin Skywalker. What I really mean is that those special pilots were all Jedi. After seeing you fly, I think you're one too. Or can be one."

"Point is, you've got the talent and the ability but not the training, and you can't be trained without a Jedi Master. So you have to get off this planet and go find one." Itty crossed his arms in a manner that meant there was no room for debate. "Seriously, kid. The last time I saw someone fly like you did was when I saw Skywalker at the Battle of Bothawui. Kriff, that was a long time ago."

Anida sighed. The troopers had heart, she knew that much. However, heart alone wouldn't get them through this. What they needed was a plan. "So we have to get to Docking Bay 94, through a town now crawling with stormtroopers, without tipping anyone off that you've defected as well."

"That's pretty much it."

"And how do you suppose we'll do that?"

"Don't worry, we've got it all figured out." Coyote and Itty shared a look, then Coyote pulled something out of a pack on his armor. Stepping closer, she saw that they were electro-cuffs.

"How good of an actor are you, Syko?"


	15. Chapter 15

Anida looked at the two stormtroopers for a moment, her face slack with disbelief. Did they really think this would work? Troopers were nowhere near important enough to have custody of a traitor to the Empire, even if it was only for a brief time. Nobody would believe them, even if she was cuffed. 

"You can't be serious."

The crows' feet near Itty's eyes moved as he nodded. Combined with his gray hair, she had to wonder why he was still in service. Most troopers got retired the second they started to show signs of age. Maybe the Empire needed their experience? "It's either this or getting shot down in the streets. I know which one I'd prefer."

"Same here." Coyote unlocked the cuffs, running his fingers over the metal. "Now, these are electro-cuffs, so ordinarily I'd be shocking you once in a while to sell our story. From the look of your arm, though, that would probably do more harm than good."

"I'm fine!"

"No you're not. Even with the bacta patch I'm surprised you're still standing. Jedi fortitude, I suppose. Anyway, I'm assuming you know how getting electrocuted feels? Machine malfunction or something?"

"Yeah." The Rebellion had gotten ahold of an experimental weapon, one that shorted out electronic systems. She'd been unfortunate enough to take a direct hit, and the resulting feedback from her systems being fried had scarred her for life. It wasn't a pleasant experience, made even less so by the fact that the Rebellion had won the day. Retreating was not an issue for her. Leaving some of her injured comrades behind was. She'd felt every single one of them die, shivering in her bunk as their lives blinked out. 

She should have done something. Talked to a higher-up, made a memorial, destroyed the weapon in revenge, something that would make up for not staying behind. Yet she hadn't, and the raised red lines on her right side reminded her of that every day. When push came to shove, she would pick the option that allowed her to survive, even if others did not. Perhaps that was why the Force allowed her to feel the pain of others, she thought. To punish her for her crimes.

"You okay there? That was a long pause."

"Yes. It's just been a long time since I was electrocuted. Do you want me to fake it or something?"

"If that's possible."

"I'll do that, then. I know what pain feels like." 

Both of them looked at her with something unreadable in their eyes. Had she said something wrong? Most Imperial officers were trained to resist torture, her included, and they suffered frequent injuries in the field. Anida's own body was a veritable tapestry of scars, both physical and mental. Electrocution, mental probes, blaster fire, mechanical malfunctions, fires, acid burns, scrapes, puncture wounds, broken bones, and dislocated limbs were just a few of the ones she'd acquired. If it was a form of pain, she'd likely felt it at some point. Why was that an issue? It would likely help them in this scenario. Even if their ruse didn't hold up, pretending her blaster wound was bothering her would give Coyote and Itty time to come up with something. 

Coyote frowned. "Kid, you're too damn young to be that used to pain. You shouldn't have to-" He cut himself off, suddenly finding his armored boots very interesting. Itty put a hand on his shoulder, and after a few moments he straightened up, his voice an octave lower. "Right then. We should get going."

She wanted to press the issue. What had moved a usually stoic stormtrooper that much? However, something in his face told her that she didn't want to go down that road. So she dusted off her coat and let Itty clamp the cuffs onto her wrists. To an outsider's perspective, they would appear secure, but they were loose enough for her to slip out of them if necessary. Which was difficult to do, as most cuffs only had two settings, loose or tight. They'd done this before. That was the only explanation. 

"Hey Itty, remember when we did this on Kashyyyk, with a Wookiee as the 'prisoner'?"

"Tarfful would probably rip your arms off if he heard you calling him that."

"If he's still alive, that is."

The two stormtroopers fell silent as they began to walk, pushing Anida in front of them. She didn't love having others push and shove her, even for the sake of a plan. At least they were being relatively gentle about it. Keeping her eyes forward, she watched the streets carefully. Any surprises would mean the end of their escape attempt. 

Most of the locals, having gotten over the shock of a public execution, were pretending not to spy on the procession. She saw black eyes glinting from an alleyway, a flash of scales from a rooftop, the glint of sunlight on a holstered blaster. So at least some of the locals were armed, and judging from what had happened earlier at the market, there wasn't a lot they were afraid of.  
You had to be tough on a planet that was trying its level best to kill you. She hoped that they had gotten over their ill feelings toward the stormtroopers, or this would be over before it even began.

Holding her head high, she kept walking, ignoring the many eyes staring at her back. She expected a shout to ring out any minute, or worse, a blaster shot. Regardless of who you supported, traitors to either side carried a hefty bounty, one most criminals would jump at the chance to cash in on. A long-range shot could drop her before Coyote and Itty got the chance to return fire. 

Surprisingly, they remained unchallenged for most of the way. Just as she was about to relax, the stormtroopers tensed up behind her. She swore under her breath, the click of a blaster being primed echoing through the dusty air. 

"Going somewhere, Syko?"

Bolvan. He'd probably come to check on her progress, then found out what had happened and adjusted accordingly. She stared into his sneering face, not trusting herself to respond.

Itty must have sensed the tension, because he approached the two of them in a brusque manner, the very picture of a loyal soldier awaiting orders. "Commander, we were just transporting the traitor to the head officer, but we got turned around. Haven't been on Tatooine much."

"You're in luck, then. I am the head officer. I'll take it from here."

Fear shot through her, icy knives raking down her spine. Bolvan was lying, she knew it. He was in no way important enough to take custody of a traitor on his own. Did he want to kill her? That was a distinct possibility. Bribe the witnesses, let the desert claim her body, spin a tale about her dying of exposure or something like that. And if the troopers interfered, he'd just kill them too. No one would mourn a foot soldier's death. No one except her, and she'd be too dead to do anything of the sort. 

She couldn't let that happen. But the only option she could see would sever her ties with the Empire permanently. There would be no going back. 

Very slowly, she slid the right cuff further up her arm, allowing herself to grasp what she needed to. Coyote seemed to get the hint, for he moved in front of her, asking Bolvan pointed questions about his name and rank. Clearly the man wasn't expecting an interrogation from someone he viewed as lesser, for he stumbled and stuttered over his answers, which just caused Coyote to press him harder. Perfect. Bolvan never backed down from an argument, so he'd be distracted when she made her move.

Sliding the cuffs into her jacket pocket, she approached the two, their voices rising steadily.

"I don't need to explain myself to a clone-"

"Listen here, I've served far longer than you, and you owe me an explanation right kriffing now!"

Bolvan's face purpled, his eyeballs bulging with fury. She had to shout to get his attention. "Bolvan!"

He turned, his features set in a furious mask. "Syko, I will deal with you soon enough-" Then he saw what she was holding. To his credit, he didn't flinch, rushing to bring his blaster up in time. She was faster, reflexes honed from years as a pilot. Just as he had her in his sights, she pulled the trigger.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic is up and running again! I'll update every other day until the first day of 2021, then every weekend after that.
> 
> also TW for death

She'd placed her shot well. There was no screaming or crying, nothing that would attract any further attention. Bolvan was dead before his body hit the sands. Stepping over the corpse, Anida handed the electro-cuffs back to a stunned Itty.

"No point continuing the charade. Once they find the body they'll know I've defected."

"Are you sure about this? That was your superior officer. There's no going back now." Coyote crossed his arms, eyes fixed on her smoking blaster.

"I know that," she snapped. "In one day I've committed enough crimes to get an entire battalion executed. And I don't think I'm done yet. We're well past the point of no return. Now we need to start running and hope like hell that Solo's ship hasn't taken off yet."

"Right. Follow us!"

With that, the two troopers broke into a sprint, their armor clanking as they ran. Anida followed closely behind, her blaster in hand. Sure, it might be unsafe, but having it ready to fire could mean the difference between life and death here. She'd seen at least three rifle muzzles in the windows before Bolvan showed up, and she had no reason to believe that would change. Especially since she'd just murdered the man.

Was it murder? He'd had a weapon on him, so it wasn't shooting a defenseless man. She remembered the surprise on his face, that shock preventing him from drawing his blaster in time. He hadn't expected her to take the shot. That much was clear. Imperial law categorized any attack on a superior officer, fatal or not, as treason. Which was arguably worse than murder. 

Regardless of how his death would be seen, there would no doubt be opportunists ready to take advantage of the crime. While no one was on the street, she'd seen faces in the windows as she did the deed. If she wasn't already wanted, that could be used as blackmail. Good thing she wasn't planning to stay on the planet for long. Though she knew from the holovids that Jabba the Hutt resided here. If he took an interest in Imperial affairs, that could be bad. Not to mention that Solo was on Jabba's bad side at the moment. Bagging both a smuggler and a traitor would net most bounty hunters a hefty sum, and Jabba employed some of the best in the galaxy.

She scowled. Traveling with Han Solo was not something she would be doing if she had any other choice. When this was all over, she was going to kick his ass for all the trouble he'd given her.

"There it is!" Coyote pointed ahead to a small door with 94 etched into the packed dirt. Through the doorway Anida could see the docking bay. No, docking bay was too generous of a term. It was more like a hole in the ground where Han had parked his ship. That much dirt would wreak havoc on the landing gears. Didn't the man know how to take care of a ship? 

As she got a better look at the thing, the answer was clearly no. It was large and round, but its positive qualities ended there. Beat-up, pieced-together, and smoking in various areas, she had no idea how the ship hadn't exploded in the docking bay. Getting it to fly would be near impossible.

Han emerged from the ship, blaster at the ready. Chewbacca followed close behind. He took one look at the two troopers and roared.

"Chewie says bringing more Imps wasn't in the agreement."

"Well Chewie can deal! These two prevented me from getting my head blown off."

Solo opened his mouth to retort, only to be interrupted by the arrival of Kenobi, the kid, and the droids. Luke was breathing hard and looked more than a little panicked. She could feel the dread coming off him in waves. Had he found the body, or had something else gone wrong?

"There's more of them," he gasped out. Kenobi put a hand on his back to steady him. "And some have heavier weapons."

"Shit." Anida knew that desert troopers had elite categories. Some wielded heavy weapons, like rotary cannons. Others had jetpacks, and still others had flamethrowers. Someone had pulled out all the stops for her capture, and now others were caught in the middle. Regardless of how she felt about these people, having them suffer for something she did wasn't right. "Chewbacca, get the others onboard. Now."

"What's going on?"

Poor kid. Losing his home, and now facing the Empire's finest because some relic wanted to recruit him. Force powers or no, she'd be having a talk with Kenobi later. Seeing the confusion on his face, she steeled herself for what was about to come. For some reason, she cared what this kid thought of her. "I just shot one of my superior officers dead and now someone is very angry. The reinforcements are here for me not you."

"Who are you? I mean really. You feel cold."

It pained her, having someone feel the same way in her presence that she did in Vader's. Did that mean she was going down his path? Were there paths to go down? Was she supposed to pick one, or was there a way to choose both? There was so much she still didn't know, and she'd learn none of it if they died here.

"If we get out of this alive, I'll tell you everything. Now get on the kriffing ship!" 

He didn't object, bolting for the boarding ramp. Kenobi gave her a canny look before following, the droids at his heels. Somehow, Shrapnel had rejoined the little group, and he and the R2 unit looked to be getting along splendidly. The protocol droid seemed dubious, though.

A glint of white caught her eye. She turned to Itty, in deep discussion with Coyote. Oh, she did not have time for this. If they were going to have a discussion about the morality of shooting their former comrades or some shit like that, they could have it when they were safely into hyperspace, not when this docking bay was about to be attacked!

"Hey! 'Get on the kriffing ship' means you two as well! Move your asses!"

Itty turned, eyes narrowed, only to duck as blaster fire sailed over his head. Stormtroopers streamed into the docking bay, rifles at the ready. Coyote swore and returned fire, sending the closest trooper flying back through the doorway, but more took his place. She counted at least eight regular troopers, two heavy weapons troopers bringing up the rear, and four troopers with jetpacks rising into the air, guns trained on the ship. All that just for her? She'd be flattered if they weren't trying to kill her. 

Unfortunately, she didn't know what she could do with the Force yet besides pushing people and feeling things. Not only was testing it against flamethrowers a bad idea, if the troopers knew she was Force-sensitive they'd likely been given orders on exactly how to take her down. Which explained the heavy weaponry, now that she thought about it.

"Take her down!"

Two troopers broke away from the phalanx, sending gouts of fire in her direction. Anida dove to the side, flames scorching the area where she'd been standing. She fired back, aiming for the joints of the armor. She knew the armor was weaker there, but hitting such a small target was difficult to do when you were trying to avoid being set on fire. Most of her shots went wild, and the few that hit their targets didn't seem to faze her attackers. 

Another wave of fire came at her, forcing her nearer to the wall. She winced as the heat grew more intense, sweat beading down her brow. The stormtroopers advanced on her, hemming in any possible escape route. One more round of flames and she'd be scorched, now that her back was up against the stucco. She had to find a way out fast.

A rung near the top of the wall caught her attention. It wasn't metal, so she could grip onto it even if the flames got closer. And her species was more flexible and agile than most humanoid races. She hoped that included stormtroopers, whether they were clones like Coyote and Itty or just regular humans. The plan forming in her mind was completely insane, and would get her killed if the troopers were fast enough. Nothing to do now but to carry it out, and hope that the Force offered a helping hand.

She waited until the troopers' fuel tanks ran low, forcing them to break off the assault to reload. Then, when they drew closer for the killing blow, she let go of her blaster and leaped straight up into the air. Her hands grabbed the rung with ease, briefly putting her out of the flames' reach. The position wasn't sustainable, though. The second the troopers angled their flamethrowers upwards, she'd be done. It was a good thing, then, that they had to look up to fire at her. 

Just as their heads tilted up, she struck. Swinging forward, she kicked out with all the strength she could muster. Her left foot slammed into the first trooper's face, knocking him to the ground. He didn't get up again. The second kick knocked the other trooper's helmet off, leaving his head exposed. Leaping down, she grabbed her dropped blaster and shot him in his unprotected face. He fell to the sand dead as she advanced on his unmoving friend. Stormtroopers wore heavy armor, but they still had to see somehow. There was a tinkling crash as she put two shots through the helmet's right lens. One to kill him, and one to make sure. After today, nothing was certain anymore.

Over by the doorway, the sound of blaster fire was almost deafening. Several stormtroopers had fallen, including one of the jetpack troopers, but there were still too many left to fight against. Any minute now, the docking bay would be overrun. Solo had popped out to exchange some shots, then retreated into the ship to power up the engines. The only two people still fighting were-

"Coyote! Itty! Time to go!" 

She ran towards them, dodging blaster fire as she grabbed for her second blaster. Itty threw a grenade, knocking back the troopers and blackening the stucco walls. He took the opportunity to lay down covering fire while Coyote turned to her, armor scorched and dented from blaster fire and flamethrowers. A nasty gash near his hairline sent blood streaming down his face. She had no idea how he was still standing.

"We can't hold them forever, kid." An explosion echoed in the background, and Itty screamed. Whether it was in pain or rage, she couldn't tell. "One lucky shot and the ship gets blown sky-high. Then it's all over. If we don't die first."

"That's why we need to go! Come on, we don't have time for this!"

Dimly, she was aware that Itty's screaming had stopped. She shivered as cold swept over her, and inside her the little light, Itty's light, winked out. Coyote bowed his head, then looked past her, his jaw set. "Get her on the ship."

A mournful roar was her only warning before the Wookiee's arms wrapped around her like a vise. She struggled, but Chewbacca held firm, lifting her bodily off the ground.

"Let me go you overgrown rug, let me go right now!" He didn't listen, carrying her upright towards the ship. Only when they reached the door to the ship did his grip slacken, and by then the ship was beginning to lift off. Below her, Coyote racked his rifle, taking precise and accurate shots even as the enemy bore down on him. One stormtrooper fell, then another, and for a moment she believed he'd make it out.

Then she saw the glint of a sniper scope, at the top of a nearby tower. 

There was no warning, no somber music, nothing to mark the fatal shot. The round entered below his chin and punched right through his neck, exiting near the top of his spine. He gurgled, gasping for air, only to choke on his own blood. Red streamed out of his mouth, and inside her Coyote's light grew dimmer and dimmer. 

"No, no, no, no, no-"

No tearful last words. No sound when he fell. Just the Imperial turncoat watching the devoted soldier breathe his last. 

Then the light faded, leaving only darkness.


	17. Chapter 17

Her first conscious use of the Force had been precise, controlled. She couldn't afford to be too reckless with such an incredible power, especially not in a hive of scum and villainy. Aside from its sensory capabilities, she hadn't used it since, not wanting to draw any further attention to herself. She was already wanted. There was no reason to lead her pursuers straight to her.

But now Coyote and Itty were dead. They couldn't be dead. They shouldn't be dead. If they had just walked away and let fate take its course, they would have lived. If they hadn't helped her, hadn't given their lives so she could get away, they would be alive right now. Now they were just another set of names on the long list of people that had died for her sake. Her father. Ebon Squadron. Kaja Vell. Hundreds of others she tried to forget. The list just kept getting longer. 

Anida screamed, thrashing in Chewbacca's durasteel grip. The Wookiee's roar was lost in the sound of the engines firing. She watched through the exit door as the remaining troopers readied their rifles, aiming for the smoking dents in the hull. One of them knelt to get a better firing angle, lazily kicking something red and white to the side. 

She stared numbly as what was left of Itty landed near the wall with a splat. When she spoke, she didn't recognize her own voice.

"Chewbacca, let me go." 

He rumbled with disapproval, keeping her arms pinned. 

"I'm not asking. Let. Me. Go." Her words were cold and clipped, but her hands wouldn't stop trembling. She could feel her power building, racing through her veins and expanding inside her chest. No more names on the list. No more friends and family dying for her sins. No more martyrs. No more sacrifice for her sake. The consequences of her actions were hers alone to bear. 

If they wanted her, if they were willing to kill for her and what she could do, then they could have her. But she owed it to the bodies on the ground, and to the boy in the ship, not to go without a fight. 

Her eyes snapped open, the energy inside her having reached its peak. The stormtroopers flew backwards, launched into the air by an invisible shockwave. Some hit the walls with loud crunching noises, while others landed face-first in the sand. The remaining troopers with flamethrowers saw their weapons break apart in their hands, the sheer force of the wave shredding the metal beyond repair. Screams and the smell of burning flesh filled the docking bay. 

Behind her, Chewbacca let out an offended grumble. Turning, she saw that the Wookiee had been flung into the central hold area. He rubbed his head, frowning in her direction. Apparently her wave had hit more than just stormtroopers. Ordinarily, this would be a good bargaining chip, telling the smuggler she could hurt his friend. However, she was starting to like Chewbacca. He was certainly more polite than Solo. And having someone in her corner that could rip people's arms off wouldn't hurt. So she extended a hand towards him, hoping that wasn't a deadly insult in Wookiee culture. 

"Sorry about that. Guess I don't know my own strength just yet."

His fuzzy paw gripped hers, and she struggled to stay upright as he pulled himself to his feet. Once he was standing again, the Wookiee put a paw on her shoulder for a moment before rushing towards the cockpit. Anida watched as the ramp swung shut, obscuring the flaming corpses dotting the sand. They'd be after her in earnest now. She knew there was a garrison near Mos Eisley, not to mention multiple Imperial outposts on the planet itself. Reinforcements wouldn't be long. 

"Punch it, Solo!"

The smuggler didn't need to be told twice. As soon as the ramp had fully retracted, the ship rose into the air. She made her way to the cockpit, hoping Solo wouldn't prove too stubborn. Regardless of whether he wanted to admit it or not, he needed her help if they were going to get out of there alive. 

The cockpit was cramped, with barely enough room for two people. She stood near the entrance instead, glancing over their shoulders at the readouts. One look at the radar scope and her heart sunk. Three red dots had just blinked into existence, and with the luck they were having it was either cruisers, star destroyers, or both. Neither option was good. The ship was built for mobility, and she doubted Solo would offer rides through Imperial space if he didn't have some skill, but in the ship's current state one good hit would cripple them. 

"Please tell me you have some sort of plan."

Chewbacca rumbled in greeting, while Han gave her the stink eye. "I'm not exactly new at this."

"I'm aware of that. I'm also aware that there is at least one star destroyer in orbit over this planet, and judging by the readout we seem to have caught its attention, along with the cruisers. So. Do you have a plan?"

"Try and hold them off. Angle the deflector shields while I make the calculations for the jump to lightspeed." 

Anida stared at the Wookiee, then at Solo. "You can't be serious. This is a bad idea. This is a catastrophically bad idea."

The Wookiee threw up his arms before poking at the deflector buttons. At least someone other than her had their misgivings.

"Well if someone had told us the Empire wanted them dead that badly, maybe we wouldn't be in this situation," Solo snapped, typing information into the ship's navicomputer. 

"How is this my fault? I'm the one they want to kill, they're not going to send me a holocall going 'Hello, we're sending this after you, good luck with that'!"

The smuggler rolled his eyes, continuing his calculations while deliberately ignoring her. She sighed. He still didn't trust her, even if the Wookiee was coming around. That would be a problem. Chewbacca could be counted on to keep his word, and while he was loyal he didn't follow blindly. That she could work with. Han was a different animal altogether. He'd only worked with her in the cantina because she held leverage over him. And judging by the smoking holes in the stormtroopers that shot at his ship, he was absolutely the type to hold grudges. Not to mention what had happened with the Wookiee. Solo clearly relied on him for muscle, and by launching him away from her she'd proven that Chewbacca couldn't overpower her easily. Combined with her Imperial ties, she'd be surprised if he didn't view her as a threat now, if he didn't already. If she were him, she'd be formulating ways to get rid of the loose cannon as soon as possible. 

Luke and Kenobi came up behind her, forcing her up against the wall as they peered into the cockpit. The boy turned to face her, his smile disappearing. Idly, she wondered if she'd traumatized him more than she meant to. Farmboys didn't often see people burn alive, let alone people getting blown up. 

Unbidden, an image of Itty's charred torso swam in front of her eyes. She flinched. Luke stepped back, apology in his eyes. 

"Did you know them?"

"Know who?" 

"The men who died."

That was an extremely loaded question. There was no way the boy didn't know Coyote and Itty were stormtroopers. Even a desert planet wasn't free of Imperial influence. If she answered in the affirmative, or didn't answer, her traitor status would be all but confirmed. If she lied, Kenobi or Solo would know, and likely share that with Luke. 

Luke stared back at her, his face deceptively calm. She swore internally. He was cleverer than she had thought. 

Anida opened her mouth to answer, then cried out as a sudden explosion rocked the ship. She slammed into the left wall, grabbing onto a cable as the floor rose up and down. Luke clung to a doorway, looking absolutely panicked. Poor kid. He'd probably never flown anything more challenging than a speeder, and now he was stuck in the crossfire of some of the best Imperial ships in the galaxy.

"Here's where the fun begins!" Solo cackled as the ship shuddered, turning sharply to the right to avoid a barrage of lasers. 

"Getting shot down is not fun!"

Kenobi gave her a sympathetic look. "How long before you can make the jump to lightspeed?" The question was punctuated by a second volley hitting the hull, sending her flying backwards down the corridor. She landed flat on her back, gasping from the sudden and brutal hit. When this was all over, she would have words with that smuggler. Words and blasterfire. This was not how you handled a ship! Not even one as dingy and rusty as this.

Han's answer was lost in the cacophony, but it wasn't one Luke liked, as the two promptly began arguing. The golden droid from earlier gave a deep and long-suffering sigh, the R2 unit beeping in response. She got to her feet, Shrapnel circling around her like an overly affectionate tooka. 

"Hey boy." Leaning down, she gave the mouse droid's chassis a few scratches. Shrapnel clicked happily, bumping into her foot. 

"What on earth is an Imperial droid doing here?"

She turned to face the golden droid. He was probably a protocol droid, as they were one of the few droids that spoke Basic. Whatever he was, she didn't like his tone. "Long story. Do you have a problem with it?"

"Oh dear. No, no, not at all."

"Good."

"Strap in!" The call came from the cockpit, and she rushed to the central hold area. Finally, the hyperdrive had been activated. Grabbing the seat strap, she strapped in tightly. If Solo's flying was any indication, she'd need the protection. She leaned back as the ship made the jump. Maybe now she could finally get some rest.

Then Anida felt twin pairs of eyes on her back, and she groaned as Luke and Kenobi entered the central hold. She hadn't thought they would want answers so quickly. Their faces told her saying no wouldn't be an option. Luke looked intense, while Kenobi looked calmer but no less curious. Oh well. Time to own up to what she'd done, and hope they were in a merciful mood.


	18. Chapter 18

The silence was almost deafening, punctuated by the hiss of the engines and the beeping of the droids. Though Anida suspected if she said the wrong thing that silence would be broken very quickly. Luke carried a blaster, she'd seen it sticking out of his belt. Whether he was any good with it was another story. She hoped he had enough common sense not to use it on board a ship. When a ship was in the shape that Solo's was, one good shot could put everyone on board at risk.

Then there was the old man. She knew Kenobi still had his lightsaber on him, and her chances of getting a shot off before being cut in half were not high. He was clearly more skilled with the Force than she was. The cantina's events had shown her that he wouldn't hesitate to maim or kill anyone that threatened the boy. As an Imperial defector, she definitely qualified, even if she didn't actively try to harm Luke. 

She felt the beginnings of a headache coming on, the telltale sign that someone was trying to get in her head. Whether it was Luke or Kenobi she wasn't sure, but she didn't like it one bit. "Stop that."

Kenobi had the nerve to play dumb. "Stop what?"

"You're poking around in my brain and it's giving me the worst headache of my life. If you want to know something, just ask. It's not like I can lie to you anyway."

He at least looked a little guilty. Luke did not, leaning forward to get a better look at something just behind her. She turned around to see that Shrapnel had come up to the lounge. He beeped a hello, spinning in circles at speeds that would make non-droids nauseous. The boy smiled and waved back. So he did know Binary. Good. She needed to get him out of the way if she was going to talk to Kenobi in private. He didn't need to hear what she had to say to him. 

Judging by his expression, Kenobi had the same idea. "Luke, why don't you go get acquainted? If it's alright with her of course."

"Sure!" She put on her most winning smile. "Shrapnel could use some friends that know what he's saying." 

The boy blurted out a quick thank you before running off with the mouse droid, listening intently to the whistles and beeps Shrapnel let out. At least some passengers on this ship were having a good time. Although if he tried to stab Luke that could be a problem. Shrapnel didn't really mean to deliberately harm people when he jabbed them, but Kenobi didn't know that.

Speaking of Kenobi, she had some questions for him as well. Turning back to the old man, she gave him a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Nice kid. Does he know you're trying to make him into a child soldier?"

"His parents were burnt alive by the Empire, he wanted to come."

"Bantha shit. You are now the only adult in his life and you damn well know that. You're bringing a traumatized kid into what will likely be a suicide mission." 

"How old were you when you joined the Empire?"

She resisted the urge to slap him. "That isn't the same! I willingly signed up and I knew the risks. The Empire won't take it easy on Luke because he's a kid. They will kill him and it will be on your conscience because you couldn't be bothered to do it yourself. I saw you in the cantina, you're nowhere near retirement."

"Neither are you."

"Nope. Whatever Jedi nonsense you're up to, I'm not interested. I shoot blasters, I don't swing lightsabers."

"Deny it all you wish, the Force has brought you here."

"Then the Force can go kark itself. All it's brought me is pain and misery and the loss of everything I've ever known. If you want to go die for a cause, fine. But don't drag me or the kid into it."

"He has a destiny."

"My father died because he valued destiny and the future more than he valued his own family. I'm not letting you do the same thing to this kid." She shot to her feet, hands drifting towards her blasters. "Even if it means bringing your retirement on a little early."

Something flickered in Kenobi's eyes. "I will die before I allow Luke to come to harm."

"Then you probably will, and I'll have to deal with a kid who will likely blame the former Imperial for it. Glad to see we're on the same page here."

A tense silence followed her words. Anida slumped back into her seat and swallowed the bile rising in her throat. How dare this man act all high and mighty when he was going to get them all killed? Destiny or no, Luke was still a child by human standards. He didn't deserve any of this. Was it even his choice, or had Kenobi lured him here with promises of getting to be a hero? He'd lost his parents, sure. But there were better ways of avenging someone than running off with a senile old coot and a washed-up smuggler.

"Why are you here?"

The question was both pointed and completely unexpected. She tried to shield her surprise before replying.

"I beg your pardon?"

"You keep telling me why Luke shouldn't be on this ship, yet you show no signs of leaving yourself." Kenobi raised an eyebrow. "A former Imperial, an alien no less, with a secret that's been exposed to half the galaxy, and you end up with other fugitives on a potentially doomed rescue mission. Perhaps I'm just a doddering old fool, but that doesn't make sense to me. Would you mind clarifying your reasons?"

Well, that was going to be difficult to answer. She didn't know why she'd done most of it. A large portion of these past few days had been spur of the moment decisions, a far cry from her usual cold and calculated methodology. Her actions made no logical sense, and were likely to confuse even the most thorough Imperial tribunal. Survival was most certainly not the reason. She'd come closer to death in these past few days than she had flying her TIE fighter. Neither was opportunity or monetary reward. Her funds had likely been frozen already, and she wasn't likely to win many credits with a bounty on her head. So what was it? 

She thought of Itty, blown to pieces. Coyote, shot through the head. The many fellow pilots she'd been ordered to leave behind. Countless other sacrifices that would likely never be mentioned when the Empire was victorious. Then it came to her, and she was ready to slap herself for not noticing it before. Or maybe she had noticed it, yet kept it buried. Years of loyal service rewarded with death and fading into obscurity. Cutting brave soldiers loose at the earliest opportunity. The lack of alien pilots except for the most dangerous missions, and even then their actions going unrewarded. The absolute superiority of Vader despite his tendency to kill his fellow Imperials on a whim.

The Empire didn't care. It was an unthinking, unfeeling apparatus of war, perfectly willing to chew up and spit out anyone it deemed expendable. And they were all expendable. Everyone on those star destroyers, from the mouse droids to Blade Squadron, could and would be sacrificed to feed the Empire's hungry maw. If Vader made too many mistakes, or displeased whatever dark power was at the top, it would gobble him up too. None of their actions mattered. None of their sacrifices mattered. Only what progress their deaths could bring mattered to the Empire. 

A horrible thought struck her. If they were all expendable, then sooner or later Blade Squadron would die. It wasn't an if like she had thought, now she knew it was only a matter of time. Would it be a Rebel starfighter? Imperial firing squad? Out the airlock? Vader himself? She hadn't protected them. She couldn't protect them, even if she returned. They wouldn't believe her. Blade Leader couldn't have defected. All she'd done was hasten their deaths. 

"Kenobi," she ground out. The word was quiet, but full of warning. She could feel the Force howling within her, just like it had when the clones were killed. Her breath came hard and fast. Her hands trembled, invisible pressure building at the base of her skull. If she didn't find somewhere to put it, and soon, she'd release it in the ship. Then they'd all die. 

"I need an outlet. Now."

"Focus. Clear your mind-"

"Not. Helping!" There was a groaning sound as the floor buckled between them, metal warped into a large dent. The old man shifted further back in his seat. His eyes were wide with awe and more than a little fear. "Maybe you didn't hear me. I have just had a very painful realization that my entire piloting career means nothing. I need an outlet, not karking meditation. Otherwise I am going to tear this ship apart."

She knew as soon as she said it that she meant it. How powerful was she?

Rapid footsteps sounded from down the hall, and Luke burst into the room, holding up a hefty chunk of metal. A slapdash Imperial logo was carved onto the front. The floor buckled again as he caught sight of her. Eyes wide with panic, he yelled something that wasn't immediately audible over the blood roaring in her ears.

"What?"

"Here!"

With a heave, he tossed the scrap metal in her general direction. She closed her eyes and focused on that hateful red logo, still smoking from whatever was used to sear it into the metal. She had fought for them and gotten nothing but scorn. She had lost everyone she ever cared about for a cause that didn't give a kark about her. Was she sad? A little. Mostly, though, she wanted to get even. She wanted revenge for what had been taken from her. Revenge for all the lives lost. Revenge for her family estrangement. Revenge for the sins she had committed while thinking she was in the right. Revenge against the whole kriffing system that destroyed lives for nothing. 

She was coming for them all. She would get her justice, and the justice of others, even if it meant the end of the whole galaxy.

The sound of shrieking metal filled the entire lounge as she tore at the metal. She dug gouge after gouge, sparks flying through the air. A clenched fist collapsed the remaining debris, crushing the scraps into mangled heaps. The heaps, thrown forcefully into the wall, clattered to the floor. What was once a chunk of metal the size of an R2 unit now lay in pieces across the floor, damaged beyond repair.

She felt Luke's and Kenobi's eyes on her back, but she did not have time for their commentary. She sat down again, eyes blurred with tears. Better to let it all out than risk another Force outburst later. That didn't mean she wanted them to see her cry.

"Out."

They left in silence. When she was sure the door had shut all the way, she lay down on the lounge and began to cry.


	19. Chapter 19

Anida had never been good with emotions. She preferred things she could understand, things that had logical conclusions and ready answers for how and why they happened. Then the Force had decided, completely out of the blue, that she would be a perfect candidate for empathic powers. Unlike her combat capabilities, which so far had only come out under extreme emotional trauma or stress, since she'd landed on Tatooine her empathic abilities felt like they were constantly on. Back in the cantina, she'd been bombarded with the greed and cruelty of others to the point where she felt like she was going to puke. When Coyote and Itty died, she felt their pain and fear. Kenobi's and Solo's wariness of her surrounded her in an invisible fog. 

That was bad enough, but now she had to deal with her own emotions as well. Until today, she'd handled grief like a particularly unsightly bug. Away it went, banished to a far corner of her mind, while she focused on what she could do to complete the mission. When the bugs grew bigger and bigger, she closed off a portion of her thoughts, sealing the pain behind layers and layers of professionalism and pragmatism. 

Now, with the advent of her empathic powers, she couldn't hold up the wall any longer. Her emotions and the emotions of others were battering away at the barrier, chipping away years of repressed feelings. She had cried for the first time in years, for kriff's sake! It was only a matter of time before it fell entirely. When that happened, she'd probably have the worst mental breakdown of her life. It would be a miracle if she didn't end up catatonic.

No. That couldn't happen. Not when she was on a ship full of people that didn't trust her, going to an unknown destination. She needed something to distract her when the walls came down. 

Shrapnel rolled into the room, beeping softly. She absentmindedly scratched his chassis while she considered her options. Both Kenobi and Luke had seen her outburst. She should apologize to them at some point before they thought her anger was directed at them. Solo would be annoyed that she'd torn up part of his ship. Whatever. She didn't have the strength to deal with his anger right now, and slamming the pilot into the wall would be a bad idea. Chewbacca definitely understood Basic, and if she were him she'd still be angry about getting thrown into the hold. 

Anida looked down at the modified mouse droid, who was still engrossed in getting scratches. Could it be that simple? Shrapnel didn't have any recording devices. Dagio had seen to that, though whether he'd removed the cameras as well she didn't know. Better to be recorded by a droid she knew was fond of her than by the protocol droid or the R2 unit. He wouldn't make her think, either. Since he didn't speak Basic, and she didn't understand Binary, she could just talk and he would listen. Well, as much as a droid could listen. 

She stopped touching Shrapnel. The droid turned to face her, letting out an offended warble. 

"Sorry, little guy. I just need someone I can trust to listen to me for a bit."

He chirped in a way that almost sounded like concern. This was weird. How did she know he was concerned? Could she sense the emotions of non-organic beings as well? Though whether Shrapnel was sentient or not was up for debate. Whatever it was, she felt more connected to him now, enough to continue talking like he would be able to hear her and understand.

"If I'm being honest, I don't know what to do next. You know me, I've always got a plan for every contingency. But this? This is Jedi and lightsabers and nothing I was ever trained for. The Imperial Academy doesn't tell you what to do if you suddenly possess powers that aren't supposed to exist. The only person, if he can even be categorized as one, I've seen with those powers before today was Vader, and he's not who I want to end up as."

"Go on."

"I keep thinking I'll close my eyes and wake up back in my bunk. Everything's been non-stop since the princess got captured. Now I'm torn between running for my kriffing life or stealing a ship and taking as many fighters down as possible before I go."

"Recklessness=not like you."

"I know, I know. It's just..." She sighed. "What do you even do when you've been fighting for a lie? All this time I thought it was worth it, that everything I've given up, everyone I've given up, would mean something in the end. It had to mean something. Otherwise I'd keep focusing on what I lost. Which is all I can do now, I suppose."

"Mirial's under Imperial occupation now, same as Tatooine. Barring a miracle I'm never going to step foot on it again. Most of my extended family think I'm a coward, a traitor, and a disgrace to the family name. They're probably dead now. The Empire isn't kind to rebellious aliens. Niri, my older sister, she's likely dead as well. Rebel cells don't have high survival rates. If she is somehow still alive, she'd try and kill me the minute I see her. My father's been dead a while now, so at least he's not going to yell at me. My mom on the other hand? Well, she was deep in the bottle when I left, and that's not going to change if she sees me again. Between dad's death, Niri running off, and my enlistment, she's got enough trauma to stay deep in her cups until she dies. If she isn't dead already."

"Blades?"

"Just the latest in a long list of people who are going to die for me. Ebon Squadron was the first, I think. Kaja Vell was their leader, a Corellian with a mind like a gravity trap. I'd had a mechanical malfunction and Kaja insisted on not leaving me behind. They all died to save me from getting shot down. I could only watch as their TIE fighters exploded one by one. If they didn't burn to death, the vacuum of space finished the job."

"Blade Squadron will die the same way. None of them will believe I defected. Not one. They don't know what I can do, and without that piece of the puzzle it won't make any sense to them. They've put their lives on the line for me, and this will be no different. They'll challenge their superiors, disobey orders to come looking for me, try to contact me over holo. And it'll get them killed." Tears pricked the corners of her eyes. "It's right there in Imperial law. Any contact with a traitor, potential or confirmed, means immediate execution. Kriff, even just being in the same squadron as I was might be enough for Tarkin to give the kill order!" 

"You = powerful. This unit=trust you."

Anida lifted her head, staring at Shrapnel. Was she hearing things? Had Shrapnel learned Basic and not told her? "Can you understand me?"

"You=make this noise." The mouse droid let out a series of beeps. 

That couldn't be right. Humans, or near-human species, couldn't make that kind of noise. Unless the droid was hearing something different.

"So I sound like I'm beeping to you. You sound like you're talking normally to me, with a few differences. Does what I sound like when I'm talking to you sound similar to what you would hear from a droid?"

"Yes!" Shrapnel spun around, whooping happily. "Anida=very smart!"

"Thanks, buddy. I'm still pretty confused, though. Up until today I had no idea what you were saying. Now I can talk to you like I know how to speak Binary. Which is impossible, since I'm not a droid. Even Luke can only understand Binary, not speak it. What is going on?"

"Shrapnel=get Wookiee?"

"That's not a bad idea. If I can understand him too then this isn't a onetime thing. Though getting him without Han being suspicious of what we're doing is going to be tough."

The laugh the droid let out was borderline maniacal. "This unit=got this!"

As Shrapnel raced off, Anida winced. She really hoped the droid knew what he was doing, because she had a sneaking suspicion of what his plan was going to be.


	20. Chapter 20

A few minutes after the droid had raced off, Anida heard an outraged Wookiee roar from the cockpit. Only this time she could hear the meaning behind the roar. Given the company he kept, she honestly wasn't surprised Chewbacca knew the word.

"FUCK!"

Shrapnel rolled back into the room, a furious Wookiee in hot pursuit. The droid stopped at her feet, circling around Anida as his pursuer loomed over her. Well, at least she knew she could understand more than just Binary now. Though antagonizing the physically strongest passenger on the ship wasn't the way she wanted to go about it.

"Sorry," she muttered, wincing at Chewbacca's glare. "I didn't think he'd actually do it."

"He did!" The Wookiee stuck out his right leg, where a small but red puncture wound stood out amid the thick brown fur. Her own leg clenched in sympathy. Smaller wounds were less painful initially, but took longer to heal and had more risk of getting infected. That was a lesson she'd learned many times. "Control your droid or I control it for you."

She decided she didn't want to know what Chewbacca's "control" meant, especially on a droid that small. Time to defuse the situation. "Do I sound like I'm roaring to you?"

"Yes. You sound like me. Why?"

Well, that was a whole can of worms she didn't want to open quite yet. Letting the Wookiee know all of what she could do meant that sooner or later Han would find out. And she wouldn't give the smuggler any more advantages than he already had. She had to give him some sort of answer, though, or he'd get annoyed. That wasn't an option. She'd thrown him once, but it was under tense circumstances. Doing it again, and in space to boot, was unwise.

"I don't know quite yet." Not technically a lie. She hoped Kenobi or Luke weren't close enough to call her out on it. Better change the subject. "Where's the kid?"

"Central hold. The old man's there too." Chewbacca pointed a furry thumb at the lounge door. She moved to leave, then stopped when the Wookiee cleared his throat.

"We're not done here. I know you're hiding something."

Kriff. He was way more perceptive than she had thought. Now she'd attracted the suspicions of a creature that could rip peoples' arms out of their sockets. Stupid, stupid move. Before now he'd been amicable with her. Then she had to go and be cagey with him and throw that potential alliance out the window. Yet she couldn't tell him the whole truth. Not until she was sure that Solo wouldn't shoot her in the back. She had to keep some things close to her chest until then. Even if that meant garnering some unwanted attention.

Anida felt the Wookiee's eyes on her back as she left the room. Shrapnel rolled on ahead of her, zipping from side to side. As she drew closer to the central hold, she could hear the unmistakable swooshing noises of a lightsaber. That was unusual. From what she'd seen, the blade could cut through almost anything. Igniting it on board a spaceship was very unwise if you didn't know what you were doing.

Luke stood in the center of the room, lightsaber drawn and ready, a seeker droid hovering in the air in front of him. The blindfold over his eyes made her flinch. What on earth was he doing? Force or no, that sort of training was liable to get you hurt. As if on cue, the droid fired at Luke. The bolt sailed past the kid's attempts to block it and hit him in the shin, making him cry out. She glared at Kenobi, who was watching near the door.

"Do I need to mention how unwise this is?" 

"He needs the training."

"You're having him use a lightsaber, on a ship in outer space, without being able to see? This isn't training, this is an accident waiting to happen!"

Kenobi was about to respond when she saw him falter. He sat down in a rush, like the breath had been knocked out of him.

"Are you all right?"

He looked up at her, face tight. "You haven't been trained for this, and your powers tend towards the empathic."

"What do you-"

"Brace yourself."

That was the only warning she got, and even then she was still unprepared. It hit her like a tidal wave, sending her screaming to the floor. Hundreds of voices cried out to her, their dying words heard from across the galaxy, all mixing together into a flood of pain and anguish.

_pleasenowhatshappeningdontletmedielikethiswheresraymussavemychildrenitsburninggetitoffnotmychildrenfathernothekingisdeadthethrantasareburningalivedamntheempireforthisithurtssomuchmakeitstopthisistheendwhatsthatlightrungoraymusnolizdanlizdanpleasebeoffplanetatleasttheytookouttheirowngarrisontooimsorrynidaihopeyourenotonheretoomywifeisdeadthusfallshousehannicathatsleemobastardwhatthehellisgoingonthethrantasarelovelytodaythelakesareonfirewereallgoingtodieatleastimnotdyingalonewhereistheprincesswhereiseveryonemakeitstopmommywhereareyoudaddyithurtsdamnyouallforthisatleastshesalivethiscantbehappeningohnonothimnothertooitwasgoingtohappeneventuallybutnotlikethisnotlikethiseverythingisburningihopeyouburntooihopeyouallburnforthisitssobrightraymuswherearewegoingcloseyoureyessistercloseyoureyesitllbeoversoonwhywasituswedidnothingwrongwedidnothingwrong ___

__Agony exploded through her as she recognized some of the voices. Tis'bedi. Dagio. Raymus Hannica. Keeli the Twi'lek fruit vendor. Chastas Hannica, Lizdan's mother, who had treated her like her own daughter whenever Anida visited Lizdan on Alderaan. Grumo the old war veteran, telling his pilot stories to all within earshot. Thousands of others she didn't know, all screaming and crying and dying as one._ _

__Then just like that, it was all gone. They were all gone._ _


	21. Chapter 21

For the first time since her father's death, Anida's mind was completely blank with grief. Individual deaths were one thing. Those hurt, but she knew there was a possibility of them happening, so she was slightly more prepared when they did. This was something entirely different.

An entire planet, blasted to space dust. Houses, wildlife, nature, landmarks, culture, languages, music, arts, history, clothing, folklore, religion, tradition, food, games, literature, political systems, architecture. All gone, and yet somehow easier to process than the human cost. 

How many people were on the planet when it was destroyed? The screams had all bled into each other, making one great wound inside her. She'd never been good with math. Right now, she was glad that she wasn't.

Specific voices burned in her ears. Tis'bedi's high scream. Dagio's rumbling groan. The agony in their words would haunt her dreams. 

A hand gripped her upper arm, pulling her to her feet. Kenobi didn't look too steady himself, but he kept them both upright well enough. "Luke," he said at a normal volume, "You'd better get on with your exercises."

The boy turned away, raising the lightsaber again. There was no pain on his face. How was that possible? How could he not have felt so great a loss? 

She didn't have time to mull it over, as the old man walked briskly into a side hallway, tugging her behind him. He pushed the sliding door shut with a wave of his hand, then turned to her. Far from the kindly old man she'd seen him act like, his face was now hard, his jaw set in a firm line. 

"Did you know?"

"That this was going to happen? I heard rumors they were building a superweapon, but rumors are banthashit half the time. I never could have imagined anything like this."

The thinning of Kenobi's mouth told her she'd answered wrong. "I find it hard to believe that this is all you know."

"Well, it's the truth," she snapped. "There would be no strategic value in decimating a planet. You'd lose any goodwill you had with the opposing side, and create far too many martyrs to paint yourselves as the good guys. This isn't any super secret plan. This is just rage." 

"You are perceptive."

"Thanks a lot. Now are we done here?"

She didn't wait for his answer, instead heading back into the central hold. The protocol droid and Chewbacca seemed to be arguing about a dejarik move, while Luke stared intently at the seeker droid. Han watched him, a smug look on his face.

The droid lunged again, hitting Luke in the leg with a blast. He tumbled over as Han burst out laughing. 

"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid."

"You don't believe in the Force?"

Anida shot a dirty look in Han's direction, who had started to ramble on about his experience and how his destiny wasn't controlled. Typical. Just because it hadn't happened to him, he didn't believe. That was no way to go through life.

Kenobi came in, placing a large helmet on Luke's head. "I suggest you try it again, Luke."

"Can we please take some precautions here? If someone gets shot we're a long way from a medical droid."

There was no response. Great. She scowled, heading over to Chewbacca and the other droids. At least they were somewhere sort of shielded from all this nonsense. Just because she believed in the Force didn't mean she had to risk her life while someone else practiced it.

"Stretch out with your feelings."

Incredibly, this time Luke managed to deflect the bolt. Anida clapped a bit, then her spirits sank as she noticed a flashing light on the far side of the control panel. She knew what that notification was. It meant a ship was approaching its destination. And Solo didn't know anything about what had happened to Alderaan. 

If she told him, especially that she knew what had destroyed it, he'd kill her for sure. But if she didn't tell him and he found out, she'd get the same result. Not to mention that Imperial ships were certainly still in the area. What was she going to say that wouldn't lead to her death?


	22. Chapter 22

Anida stared into the dirty refresher mirror, hands gripping the sink like a lifeline. She looked about as awful as she felt. Every inch of her yellowy green skin was dotted with orange bruises. The left side of her head was sticky with blood from a cut near her ear. Dried blood crusted the rest of her hair, like the most morbid dandruff imaginable. Her blaster wound from several days earlier had reopened and stained the entire shoulder of her coat, which was now slightly tattered from the skirmish in the hangar bay. Somewhere along the line she’d lost the beaded belt. 

Her attention drifted to her hair. Once in a neat bob, now it drooped downwards, the weight of the dried blood making it difficult to lift her head. Disgust surged within her. That bob was the standard hairstyle for Imperial personnel. It had served her throughout her entire career as an Imperial, replacing the beaded braids her mother had so carefully woven for her. Until recently, she’d been proud of it, the style marking her loyalty. Now, it only reminded her of what the Empire had done. What she’d done. 

She remembered the mysterious supply runs Tarkin had insisted Blade Squadron make, to coordinates just a hyperspace jump away from Alderaan. She remembered Dagio almost getting shot for peeking inside a box. She remembered the fierce pressure in her mind when she wondered what the supplies were for, the pain receding when she stopped wondering. Vader’s doing, she was sure of it. Couldn’t have the workers learning what exactly they were helping build.

The memories made her scowl. So Kenobi had been right. She did carry some responsibility for this kriffing weapon. Even if she hadn’t seen the weapon in person, even if she didn’t know what the weapon was, those trips had made her culpable. Maybe not as culpable as Tarkin or his ilk, but certainly enough to deserve her share of the blame. 

Hissing with impotent rage, Anida slammed her fist into the refresher mirror. The glass cracked from the hit, jagged lines racing across the fragile surface to form a mosaic of shattered shards. Broken, just as broken as she felt. 

Blood streamed down her knuckles. She ignored it. She had bigger problems. She had to get rid of who she had been, of anything that pulled her down into that sharp and painful place that was her ever growing grief. Until this trip was done, until Alderaan was avenged, she had no time to grieve. 

Her hair would be the first to go. She wasn’t the person who wore that style. Not anymore. But she couldn’t be the little girl with braids again. That girl had died the second she stepped onto an Imperial transport. No, she had to be someone new now. Someone who wasn’t an innocent girl or a naive Imperial.

Reaching forward, she plucked a larger shard out of the mirror, one that was almost bladelike in shape. She brought it up to her head and set to work.

By the time she was done, black hair coated the floor of the refresher and clots of drying blood clogged the sink. The sides and back of her head were shaved almost to the scalp, save for a light coating of dark fuzz. What hair remained on her head was tied back into a ponytail, the tip reaching no further than the back of her neck.

She had no idea what had prompted this style in particular. It was one she’d never seen before. Yet it was nothing like what the Empire would let her wear, which suited her just fine. She was done with doing things for them. From now on, her choices would be her own.

Anida was just leaving the refresher when the entire ship shook. The hallway lights flickered. On instinct, she ducked as they burst in a shower of sparks. Another impact soon followed, and only a desperate grab for the wall saved her from flying down the corridor. What was going on up there?

The ship continued to shake as she dashed down the hallway, Shrapnel at her heels. She turned to the right and nearly collided with Luke. 

“Sorry! I wasn’t looking where I was going.” His eyes drifted to her head, then her shoulder. “Did you cut your hair?”

“Long story. What the kark is Solo doing up there?”

“I was going to find out myself. Come with?” He held out a hand.

If he could be trusted to be discreet, if the omission of her wounds was any indication, he could be trusted not to worsen her condition any further. At the very least, she trusted him more than she did the others. And a gesture of good faith towards Kenobi’s protege wouldn’t do her any harm.

She took his hand. “If he’s trying to do anything fancy, I reserve the right to punch him.”

“Judging from the way Chewie’s glaring at him, there may be a line.”

The thought of Chewbacca chewing out Solo brought a thin smile to her face. Luke chuckled, a bright and airy noise. 

“I thought you couldn’t smile! Glad to see I was wrong.”

“Depends on the situation.” The brief answer distracted the kid, allowing her a moment to frown. He wouldn’t be smiling once he saw what had happened. Would he blame her, like Kenobi almost had?

She was still deep in thought when they arrived in the bouncing cockpit. Chewbacca looked oddly calm for the situation, flipping several controls one by one. Clearly this wasn’t his first emergency. By contrast, Han was cursing in several languages. As she approached his seat, he spat out a particularly filthy Mirialan swear.

“Watch it, Solo. Unlike the rest of the people on board, I actually know what that means, and it is not something you should be using with a lady present.”  
“You’re no lady.” The smuggler turned to face her, a scowl darkening his face. “Ladies aren’t covered in blood and keeping more secrets from me than I’m comfortable with.”

“Ladies can be bloody. He’s right about the second part, though.” Chewbacca added.

“We can discuss my virtue later. Why are we getting bombarded with rocks?”

“Our position is correct, except..” His eyes went wide. “No. Alderaan!”

“What do you mean? Where is it?” Luke piped up. He gazed out the cockpit window, and she followed his line of sight. When she saw it, her stomach twisted with horror. 

It was one thing to feel a planet’s destruction through the Force. It was quite another to actually see what had happened. Meteors streaked past the glass, ranging from the size of a pebble to half Chewbacca’s size. Various other pieces of rubble lay suspended in the void, drifting lazily from place to place. If she hadn’t felt the cataclysm happen, she would have called this just another asteroid shower. But that wasn’t the case. This was all that remained of Alderaan.


	23. Chapter 23

The ship began to settle down. She jerked her gaze away from the glass as Kenobi moved into the cockpit behind Luke. 

“Destroyed...by the Empire!”

Well, kark. If there was ever a worse time for that statement, she couldn’t think of it. Luke’s face went pale, while Solo’s darkened considerably. He spun the pilot’s chair around to look at her, jabbing a finger in her face.

“I knew it,” he hissed. “I knew bringing you aboard would give me nothing but trouble, and I was right!” 

“Get that finger out of my face unless you want to lose it. I had nothing to do with this.”

“That’s rich. You’ve been keeping secrets ever since the cantina. Who’s to say this wasn’t one of them? For that alone I should pull the trigger.”

There it was again. The implication that she’d be a part of this atrocity, for the second time that day. She had lost friends, allies, even other Mirialans in the blast. She was grieving as much as they were. And yet they treated her like a monster for events beyond her control. Enough was enough.

Anida didn’t even have to draw her blaster. In an instant, the Force responded to her anger, filling her with immense power. Lightning crackled across her skin, arcs of purple energy flickering on and off. The stench of ozone filled the cockpit. 

Solo yelled something unintelligible, bringing his weapon up to fire. She responded instinctively, sending a bolt of electricity crashing into the weapon’s stock. He yelped, dropping the half-melted blaster to the floor.

She loomed over him. “I have done nothing to you and yours save what is necessary to defend myself. Yet you still distrust me and blame me for atrocities I did not commit. Threaten me again, and I will be much less merciful.”

“Stop!” Luke rushed in front of Han, who was clutching his slightly burnt hand. “I don’t know what happened here, but we can’t fight each other! Then the Empire wins!”

Out of the mouths of babes. He might be wildly naive, but in this case the kid happened to be right. Reluctantly, she reached a hand out to Solo. “Truce? In my defense, I didn’t mean to electrocute you. I thought the Force would just push you.”

“Yeah, yeah, just don’t do it near the controls and we’re golden.” He did ignore her hand, instead relying on Chewbacca’s help to get back upright. Good. If he trusted her so readily after that, she’d have lost all respect for him. 

“Look out!”

Chewbacca’s warning gave her enough time to tackle a surprised Luke to the deck. He went down like a sack of potatoes as a huge explosion burst outside the cockpit window. The ship shook violently, a TIE fighter racing past. A muffled alarm started humming.

“Oh! Uh, thanks.” The kid rolled to the side, helping her up without much difficulty. He was stronger than he looked, then. “Hey, you said you were a pilot back in the cantina. Friend of yours?”

Anida laughed bitterly. “Definitely not. Most of my friends are no longer with us. The ones that are still alive think I’m a traitor. Which means they wouldn’t waste time on a warning shot even if they knew I was on board.”

“That was a warning shot?” Luke’s voice went up an octave.

“Either that or we’ve got a pilot with lousy aim on our hands. I’m hoping for the latter.”

“Well, it’s leaving in a big hurry. If they identify us we’ll be in big trouble.”

Anida looked at Han, who didn’t seem phased in the slightest by the attack or the possibility of getting caught. He must have something up his sleeve, then. Pilots who had no plans for dealing with the unexpected were no pilots at all.

“Not if I can help it. Chewie, jam its transmissions.”

The Wookiee did so, pushing several buttons in rapid succession. She winced at the sight. From Kassa’s stories, pirates often jammed transmissions before attacking ships. Were Chewbacca and his partner pirates as well as smugglers? She knew so little about them, and it irked her. A smuggler with Solo’s reputation should be more famous. Unless he deliberately sought to stay in the shadows, which didn’t add up. He wasn’t exactly subtle.

Of course, having a Wookiee to intimidate potential squealers did help. Perhaps that was it.

“It’d be as well to let it go,” Kenobi interjected. The man’s face had remained calm throughout, the movement of his eyes the only sign he’d noticed the attack. “It’s too far out of range.”

For once, she agreed with him. Regardless of who was in the fighter, shooting down a craft she used to pilot didn’t sit well with her. The skirmish in the hangar bay had been a relatively fair fight. The stormtroopers had attacked first and there were far more of them. But however maneuverable a TIE might be, she knew from a peek in the viewport that the freighter’s guns were stronger. The fighter could do no real damage before their ship blew it to pieces. It was nowhere near an even match.

She moved to stand near Kenobi. “I agree with the old man. It’s not necessary to shoot down a clearly lost fighter who likely shot at us by mistake.”

“Not for long.” Solo, unsurprisingly, listened to neither of them. He pushed the throttle forward, and the ship zoomed after the TIE fighter. 

Ben moved behind Chewbacca, a frown on his face. “A fighter that size couldn’t get this deep into space on its own.”

“It must have gotten lost, been part of a convoy or something.”

Luke’s guess was reasonable enough, but for the fact that the fighter had fired on them. Was he cocky? Stupid? Both?

“Well, he ain’t going to be around long enough to tell anyone about us.”

Something wasn’t right. Even the cockiest of Imperial pilots knew better than to fire on a ship far bigger than they were. The punishment for starting an attack you couldn’t see through was severe. To do so while knowing the consequences meant that this pilot was either insane or had backup they couldn’t see.

“Look at him. He’s headed for that small moon.”

“I think I can get him before he gets there, he’s almost in range.”

Her heart crawled into her throat. She’d looked at the Alderaanian night sky many a time with Lizdan, both of them lying below a canopy of stars. She knew the constellations and nebulae almost by heart. A horrible realization dawned on her.

“Turn around, Solo. Now.”

“Don’t you give me orders-”

“We don’t have time for this,” she snapped. “Don’t you get it? Alderaan had no moons!”

Han’s cockiness quickly faded, replaced by a look that was almost fear. “Then what the hell is it?”

“That’s no moon.” 

Kenobi had been so quiet that she’d almost forgotten he was there. Yet his voice was steady and calm. Before them, the false moon began to take shape, metallic paneling shot through with tiny lights forming a monstrous spherical battle station.

“It’s a space station!”

“It’s too big to be a space station,” Han retorted, pushing at buttons on the console. Anida disagreed. Too big to be just a space station, sure. But there were people on that station. Even from this distance, she could feel their emotions. Small spots of sadness here and there. The pervasive fog of denial. A cloak of nauseating pride that twisted her stomach into knots.

Tarkin. She wasn’t surprised that this particular atrocity had been his idea. He’d always urged her to leave behind stranded pilots, to ignore civilians during bombing runs, all for the glory of the Empire. His arrogance buried itself deep in her guts, his feelings of victory and his utter immorality digging their claws into her mind. 

She sank to the floor, gritting her teeth as the emotions battered at her. She wasn’t like him. She’d never be like him. Yet she’d carried out his orders, hadn’t he? Served as his tool for month after blood-soaked month? How were her hands cleaner than his? 

The pride told her to revel in the effectiveness. The amorality told her that no one on Alderaan had been innocent. The victory told her to cherish the destruction she had helped wreak. It wormed into her ears, her mouth, her brain, whispering sweet falsehoods that she almost wanted to believe. She couldn’t take much more of this. 

The punch knocked her flat on her back. Pain welled up in her jaw, the sudden shock driving the emotions out of her. When her vision cleared, she was staring up at Han, who was shaking his fist and frowning.

“Congratulations, you do not have a flimsiplast jaw. Unfortunately for my fist here.”

“You punched me?”

“Had to. You can’t control what you do when you get angry, and my ship’s taken enough of a beating as is. I thought a jolt to your system would do something.”

Much as she hated to admit it, he was right. Though painful, the punch had broken her emotional tether to the people on board the battle station. She’d have to avoid diving too deep into strong feelings from now on.

Luke was still looking at the station, a stricken look on his face. “I have a very bad feeling about this.”


	24. Chapter 24

Luke’s pronouncement was accompanied by a sudden flash across her senses. Cockiness with the skill to back it up, resentment towards Tarkin about the strain he was putting on the TIE fighters. Recognition of the ship they’d been paid a pretty penny by Solo to modify.

Kassa. The Mikkian wasn’t just alive, they were on the station. And clearly they were closer to Han than they had let on. 

Relief surged through her, fear following close behind. Even though Dagio had been on Alderaan when it was destroyed, she felt no grief for him from Kassa. That wasn’t right. Dagio and Kassa had been the best of friends. She expected at least a drop of sadness. 

There were two possibilities she could think of. One, she’d severely misjudged the Mikkian, which would likely get her killed if their cold demeanor extended to former friends as well. 

Two, Kassa didn’t know that Dagio and Tis’bedi had been on Alderaan. It was a fair assumption, given that minus the Force she wouldn’t know either. She almost envied Kassa their ignorance of the matter. 

If Tarkin had his way, they would stay ignorant. He would spin a pretty lie of a dogfight in deep space, one with no survivors, and logic would back him up. Regardless of their support, even the royal houses openly aligned with the Empire would not tolerate extensive military presence. Most house rulers were proud and quick to anger, but they also had funds the Empire needed, so to keep the uneasy alliance intact the Imperial military’s existence on Alderaan was limited. A single base and airfield was the only full-time location of Imperial troops.

The airfield, though in top condition, was rarely used for TIE fighter pilots, instead serving as a place where Imperial ambassadors and dignitaries could disembark without threat of Rebel assault. So why had Tis’bedi and Dagio been down there? She needed to know, both to convince Kassa something terrible had happened to them and for her own peace of mind.

A flicker of hope ignited in her chest. Kassa was alive. It would not be a happy reunion if she ran into them, but they were alive. Did that mean others had survived too?

She reached out with the Force, sifting through the feelings emanating from the station. As she searched, she could feel particular colors outlining the emotions. The darker the color, the more intense the emotion. She’d want to stay away from those. Another Tarkin experience was something she neither wanted nor needed.

White coated more than half of the ship, most of the crew struggling to deny the atrocity they had just helped commit. A few shone ugly fuschia, trying to mask their ill feelings with renewed patriotism. She scowled. Fanaticism never soothed any worried mind. Her nightmares were proof enough of that.

The further she went, the more complex the emotions grew. Tarkin’s neon yellow flared red in places as he lost patience with the crew. Kassa was mottled in orange and green, excitement and worry battling for dominance. 

Two pillars of blue so deep it was almost black loomed in front of her. She kept her distance, unwilling to let their grief choke her. One was tinged with the soft gray of despair, sickly lavender lines weaving in between the blue. Guilt. That must be the princess of Alderaan. Did she still hold that title if everything she ruled over was gone?

That explained how dark the blue was. Anida had only ever visited the planet. To live there, and lose everything in an instant? She couldn’t imagine. 

The other pillar was rapidly changing, the darkness giving way to a furious red. There was only one person she knew who masked her sadness with rage. It was one trait she had never been able to shake, despite her training to be a proper noble of House Hannica.

Against all odds, Lizdan was alive.

She had no time to explore that revelation, as the ship gave a mighty shudder. This time, she managed to stay on her feet. 

“What the hell is going on up there, Solo? Why are we not going in the other direction?”

“We’re caught in a tractor beam!” He punctuated this by banging on the controls. Unsurprisingly, they didn’t respond. “It’s pulling us in!”

It didn’t take her long to put the pieces together. The fighter in the middle of nowhere, the unexpected attack, the drawn-out pursuit. “This was a setup, and you fell right into it.”

“Well forgive me if I didn’t expect a massive battle station!”

She threw up her hands. Arguing with the smuggler would get them nowhere. They needed to find a way out of the beam, or they were all dead. There weren’t many options, though. She knew how powerful tractor beams were. The bigger the building or ship, the more powerful the traction, and this station was one of the biggest she’d ever seen. At this rate, they would run out of fuel before they broke out.

“There’s nothing I can do about it, kid. I’m in full power. I’m going to have to shut down. But they’re not going to get me without a fight!”

Heroic last stands were only useful when they served a purpose. This was just going to get them all killed. If Solo put all their lives at risk because of his pride, she’d kill him herself. That is, if the Empire didn’t do it first.

Kenobi looked contemplative, then put a hand on Han’s shoulder. “You can’t win. But there are alternatives to fighting.”

“There better be,” Anida grumbled. She was not going to die today. Not when she was so close. All her life she’d done things for a greater cause or for others. This was the first thing she had done solely because she wanted to. “What did you have in mind?”

She didn’t think there could be a worse idea than going up against a battle station guns blazing. Yet somehow, Kenobi’s backup plan was even worse. She’d have expected it from Solo, maybe Luke. The kid wore his emotions on his sleeve and had a tendency to act rashly. But Kenobi? Surely he could come up with a better plan than this.

It was so bad that she needed a solid minute to process it. When she found her voice again, it took her a great deal of effort not to start shouting.

“No. Absolutely not. You’re betting our survival on the incompetence of the Empire. I have served with those troopers for years. They are far more competent than Rebel propaganda would have you believe. If even one of them thinks something isn’t right they’ll alert the entire ship. Then we’re all dead.”

Han slid into the first compartment. “Well, I don’t hear you offering any ideas!”

“I do have one, Solo. It relies on trusting a friend of mine to not shoot me in the back when they see I’m with you, then convincing them to go up against the Imperial war machine. So you can see why I’m a little averse to using it.”

“Hang on. Your friend wouldn’t happen to have lavender skin and a snarky disposition, would they?”

“Got it in one. Kassa’s annoyed you haven’t paid them back yet for modifying your ship. Not to mention that they recognize said ship, even from a distance. Either we bring them in or kill them. And I’ve lost too many friends today to do the latter.”

“Well, when you put it that way.” Solo rummaged in his vest, then brought out a holocom that looked to be on its last legs. “They did say they’d kill me if they ever saw me again, but they’re a competent enough engineer that I kept a way to contact them. In case things went real south real fast and I was getting desperate.”

“They hate you too, though,” he added. “Or at least you don’t know how you’ll be received. Who’s to say they won’t just kill us both?”

“That’s the likeliest possibility. But if I have to pick between dying at the hands of the Empire or to someone I consider a friend, I know which one I’m going to pick. Now give me that holocom.”


	25. Chapter 25

Forming the equator of the battle station, a mile-high band of huge docking ports loomed in front of the cockpit window. Most of the ports were filled to the brim with ships, ranging from TIE fighters like she once flew to sleek TIE interceptors, fresh off the production line. That worried her. Not only was the station fully operational, if Alderaan’s destruction had been any indication, but it also housed enough fighter craft to easily crush those fool enough to assault the ship by air.

Turning back to the holocom, she punched the button again, grumbling under her breath. Curse Solo for not checking if the holocom even worked before giving it to her! Of course, he was down in the storage compartments, so she couldn’t punch him just then.

She was running out of time. If the holo didn’t work, or Kassa just hung up on her, she’d have to scramble down into the compartments with the others. A horrible backup plan, but one that was looking likelier by the minute.

“Come on, you stupid thing, work!”

Anida shook the holocom back and forth, careful not to drop it. It was in rough enough shape that one good impact could break the whole thing. Just as she was ready to give up, she saw a flicker of blue out of the corner of her eye. Pushing a button, she held her breath.

One second passed, then two. On the third-second mark, a flickering image of Kassa’s head-tendrils sprang to life. The hologram fizzled out for a moment, then zeroed in on the Mikkian’s face. They did not look happy.

“Solo, you’d better have a good reason for contacting me on the kriffing Death Star. I see your ship out there, don’t you dare tell me your comm got sliced or some banthashit like that-”

“Kassa,” she cut in, speaking in low tones. “It’s me.”

At that, the undisputed chatterbox of Blade Squadron fell silent. She could see her friend’s eyes flicking back and forth, worry evident on their face. It took them a good minute before they responded.

“Anida? Why the kark are you on Han Solo’s ship? Tarkin told us you were dead! I don’t care what you did. Come quietly and we can figure this out-”

“Since when did the former smuggler err on the side of law and order?” she snapped, interrupting her friend’s rambling. “I’ve seen the Empire for what it is, Kass. Coming quietly is no longer an option.”

Kassa must have seen the expression on her face, because what was surely a sarcastic retort died on their lips. “First Lizdan gets thrown in the detention block and now you show up in my ex-boyfriend’s heap of junk. There’s more to this than you’re telling me. What’s going on?”

“You first. Why is Lizdan in the detention block?” She filed the latter detail away for another time. Solo had some explaining to do. 

“You’re deflecting. I feel like the person who might get shot in a few seconds owes me an explanation before I tell you anything.”

The ship drew closer to the docking bay control room, which was flanked by several laser turret cannons. Anida winced. One hit from those and the ship would go the way of Alderaan. “I’m hesitant to tell you because I’ve got other people on board. People who will absolutely get me killed the instant the troopers find us. Help us get into the bay undetected and I’ll tell you everything.”

“You want me to do what?”

“Please, Kassa. You’re the best slicer and mechanic I’ve ever met. If anyone can do this, it’s you.”

“This is a big ask, Nida.” The holographic figure was silent for a long time after that. “Kark it,” they finally said. “I might be furious with you right now. That doesn’t mean I want you dead. I’ll do it.”

Kassa told her the plan, which unlike Kenobi’s was reasonable and potentially survivable. They then added, “But I have conditions.”

“Name them.”

“One, you make sure I get out of this alive. I don’t want to be a martyr.”

“Done.”

“Two, I owe Solo at least one punch. Get in my way and the deal’s off.”

That threw her for a moment. “What did he do?”

“Have you met the man?”

“Fair point.”

A muffled yell came from the nearest compartment. She ignored it. “Anything else?”

“Stay alive. If you die, I’ll have thrown away my job for nothing. Plus, I want to see Tarkin’s face when he realizes you’re still alive and kicking.”

“Not sure how much say I have in the matter, but I’ll do my best.”

“Die then.” Kassa rolled their eyes. “Get the rest of your people up here. The second that ship touches down we need to be ready to move. Oh, and one more thing.”

“Yeah?”

“I’m glad you’re back, Blade Leader. Blade Three standing by.”

The comm blinked out. That was good. The very mention of her old squadron’s name had tightened something in her chest. Squadrons had to have at least five pilots. With the deaths of Tis’bedi and Dagio, along with her defection, Blade Squadron was effectively dissolved. Not to mention that her betrayal meant the name would likely be retired. There would be no new Blade Squadron.

Shrapnel wound around her legs like a tooka as she banged on the floor panel. After a few moments, it popped up, revealing Han and Luke. Kenobi stuck his head out of a third panel while C-3PO and R2-D2 rolled down the hall towards them.

“Kassa’s agreed to help us. But we need to be out of here the second the ship lands. Does everyone have what they need?”

A chorus of yeses filled the air, followed by a groan from Han. “You told them I was on board and they still said yes? They’ve got to be plotting something, I just know it.”

“Kassa’s only untrustworthy if you’ve given them a reason not to trust you. Which, judging by the way they referred to you as their ex, I think you have.”

“I thought they’d be over the Nar Shaddaa incident by now,” Han mumbled.

“Clearly not. Now, we’ll need to lure some of the troopers in here when the ship touches down.”

“Wait, what?”

Han’s exclamation was quickly followed by the hiss of the landing gear unfurling. There was no time to explain anything more. She had to take the initiative, and hope the others followed her lead. 

Just as she drew back the slide on her blaster, a wave of sheer panic struck her, and she nearly dropped the weapon. What was this? She didn’t panic! That response had been drilled out of her for several years now! Pilots that froze up during flight didn’t last long.

She grit her teeth, sweat beading on her brow. Was it the high-stakes nature of this mission that had her so fearful? No, she was no stranger to risk by now. That couldn’t be it. Besides, she hadn’t felt this much panic since she was a rookie.

A rookie. That was it!

Looking back confirmed her suspicions. Kenobi and Solo appeared calm and tense respectively. Luke, however, seemed about ready to fall over. She could hear his teeth chattering from here. His panic was affecting her bad enough that it could blow the whole mission before it began. One way or the other, she needed to stop him. 

“Luke!” Another wave overtook her, tearing out a thin cry from her lips. “Snap out of it!”

The boy gave no indication that he’d heard her. She cursed Kenobi for bringing an inexperienced farmboy into this. Not only did he have no fighting skill whatsoever, he couldn’t take orders when it counted. He wasn’t even good cannon fodder.

“Luke, please.” Another strike against who she was. Sykos never begged, and even as far removed from her family as she was Anida was no exception. Yet faced with what someone else felt, she was reduced to useless pleading. No wonder her family had disowned her. She couldn’t seem to stop disappointing them, even though few of them likely remained alive.

Her heart sank as the tramp of armored feet echoed through the docking bay. They were out of time.


	26. Chapter 26

The blasters weighed as much as boulders, terror sapping her strength. Nevertheless, she lifted them. Getting to her feet was where she faltered. Every time she began to move, her legs shook and she was down on the ground again. 

On her fifth attempt, Solo spoke up.

“You can’t fight like this.”

“Try me.” Her legs promptly buckled, bashing her shins against the metal floor. She glared up at him. She was furious that the smuggler she most despised had to see her in this state. He’d make jokes, patronize her, bring this up long after it had happened. 

The footsteps only grew louder. The fear they engendered in Luke quickly spread to her, threatening to swallow her up in a sea of terror. She was drowning, and she couldn’t see any way out. 

How ironic. She’d joined the Empire out of fear that her family would pay for her father’s sins if she didn’t. Now fear would be the thing that ended up killing her.

Han scowled, yanking her to her feet. “At least tell me where to aim!” he burst out, gesturing to the rapidly opening hangar bay doors.

Much as she hated to admit it, Solo was a slightly better shot than she was, especially when she was incapacitated like this. But he couldn’t do much if he didn’t have information on what he was attacking. She needed to give him that information, and hope that a smuggler had the exact aim of an Imperial sniper. Anything less and they’d all die.

“Don’t aim for the breastplate, that’s too heavily armored. The joints are less armored but stormtroopers are trained to fight through pain, so use the highest setting on your blaster. When they’re down, aim for the helmet lenses. Their utility belts have thermal detonators, if you can hit one of those their armor won’t protect them from an explosion in such close quarters. No maiming shots, Tarkin will kill them for their failure. Shoot to kill.”

Was it mercy she offered, ordering Solo to kill them immediately? No, not mercy. Just another hard choice in her lifetime full of hard choices. Just more blood on her hands. 

Regardless, Han didn’t argue. As the doors opened with a clang, he began to fire at the three troopers running into the room. His first shot cracked a trooper’s lens. The trooper screamed, and Solo took the opportunity to shatter the lens completely with his next shot. His target went down hard, clawing at a helmet now full of broken glass.

The two troopers that followed drew their own rifles, forcing the smuggler to duck to the side. The Falcon took the brunt of the fire, blaster bolts pinging off of the metal. Solo snarled something about dirty Imps scratching his precious Falcon, then promptly shot the closest trooper in the groin. The trooper collapsed, clutching his junk through the armor.

She caught a burst of amusement from Luke. “Did he just-”

“Good to see you’re feeling better, kid! And yes, he did just do what you thought he did.” What was it with this kid’s good humor being infectious? “Troopers aren’t used to dirty fighting. It’s not part of their combat training.”

Her good mood, artificial though it was, didn’t last long. The tramp of feet started up again, drawing her attention forward. Through the haze of returning fire, Anida could see an entire column of troopers half marching, half running to the open doors. She swore. One trooper they could take down easily. Three, with a little luck. An entire column? Doubtful.

Han ducked as a blaster shot flew straight over his head. He turned to her, waving his blaster. “I’m almost out and reloading isn’t really an option right now. Where the hell is Kassa?”

“They said they’d make a distraction. Which means we’ll probably hear them before we see them. Stay alert.”

“Oh I’m very alert right now,” he snapped, indicating the approaching column. “Alert that we’re going to die!”

Luke’s panic spiked again, and she glared at him. “Don’t scare the kid.”

“I’m not a kid!”

An unholy screeching noise echoed from the bay doors, cutting off what she was going to say next. They wobbled once, then twice, allowing her to see the panicked faces of the stormtrooper column before they finally slammed shut. 

She could feel Luke’s anxiety lift now that the doors were between them and the rest of the troopers. Shaking away the last drops of his fear, she rose to her feet, drawing both blasters in unison. 

His focus torn between taking out Solo, his fallen comrades, and being separated from his reinforcements, the last trooper wasn’t expecting an additional attack. To his credit, he managed to bring up his rifle, just not fast enough. One shot to his head dropped him before he got the chance to fire. 

Satisfied, she picked up the holocomm and switched it on. “I’m assuming that hacking the doors was your distraction?”

“Yep.” Kassa’s holoimage flickered, then solidified. “Now, on to the next part of the plan. Anida, you’re the best actor, so you get the job of talking your way into the command office. Jaldin’s on duty. The rest of you, you know your roles. I’ll be in the command office with Jaldin. Don’t kark it up.”

The holocomm blinked out. Anida sighed, then moved over to the fallen stormtroopers. “Right, one of you has to take the one with the broken helmet. My green skin will give the game away if they see it through the broken glass. There are no aliens in the Imperial Stormtrooper Corps.”

“I’m still not sure about this,” Luke muttered. 

“If it’s any consolation, nobody cares enough about the stormtroopers to inspect them unless you give them a reason to.”

“That’s not comforting,” Han shot back. “Kriff, how replaceable are Imperials?”

“Very.” She hoped the harsh tone in her response would get Han to drop the subject. That realization was painful enough without her companions bringing it up every five seconds.

After some struggling, pointed questions about removing blood from armor, and ignoring the banging on the hangar doors, they were ready as they could ever be. Well, at least she was. 

The armor was uncomfortable, having clearly been designed for a man. Thankfully, the last trooper had been about her height, so it wouldn’t raise eyebrows from a distance. Close range would be another matter, though. If someone did see through her disguise, killing them before they could raise the alarm would be difficult, as she’d had to leave her dual blasters on the ship. While they were the weapons she was best with, they were not stormtrooper standard issue. If someone saw her with them their cover would be blown instantly. She’d have to make do with the standard issue weapon, the E-11 blaster rifle. 

She sighed. Of course the one weapon she hadn’t trained with would be the one she had to use during the most high-stakes mission of her life. Either she adapted quickly, or she’d have to rely on Luke and Han. Neither option seemed particularly easy, and the second one was downright insulting. She couldn’t keep relying on others. Not when so much was at risk.

Luke got lucky. The armor he’d chosen fit him almost perfectly, except for the helmet being slightly too big. He looked up at her as she moved into the central hold. 

“How do I look?”

“Pretty intimidating,” Han answered from over by the dejarik table. “Me, on the other hand? I’ve gotta hope there won’t be too much glass in my face.”

“Come off it, Solo. I helped you get the glass out of the lenses myself. Do you still not trust me?”

The smuggler gave her a dark look. “We’re in your home territory, following your friend’s plan. You tell me.”

Anida was about to take a swing at him when Shrapnel came tearing into the room at top droid speed. He warbled a warning, then came to a rest next to her. 

“What did he say?”

“Give me a minute, he was speaking really fast.” She straightened up. “I sent him to recon the command office near the Falcon’s entrance. Apparently Jaldin’s losing his patience with Kassa. He’s about to come check out the ship himself. Even though this man is glaringly unobservant, he’s going to find something eventually.”

“If he sees the dead bodies on the ship or hears the banging, we’re bantha fodder,” Luke piped up. “What do we do?”  
“You two stay on the ship. Chewbacca, come with me.”

“Why?”

She smirked at the Wookiee. “Good question, Chewie. The last I saw Gantry Officer Jaldin, he worked in the Kessel hangar. He also happens to be terrified of Wookiees. I thought you might want to pay him a visit.”

Chewbacca barked with laughter, then quieted down as Anida’s comlink buzzed. “TX-412, why aren’t you at your post? TX-412, do you copy?”

“Well, that’s my cue. Chewie, cut around the back of the ship while I deal with Gantry Officer Moron here. When he opens the door, he’s all yours.”

Luke’s quiet chuckling followed her as she walked down the ramp of the ship. She waved at Jaldin, waiting a few seconds until he noticed her presence. When he did, she pointed to her ear. Even an imbecile like Jaldin had to recognize the universal signal for “my comlink’s busted, I can’t hear a thing you’re saying.” If he didn’t, maybe she’d just shoot the glass and wait the several minutes it would take for him to realize something was wrong. She whispered a quiet thanks that she’d never had to serve under him.

Finally, he realized what she was trying to tell him. He shook his head in disgust, completely oblivious to Kassa making faces behind his back. Anida smiled underneath the helmet as he approached the door, which slid open to reveal the towering figure of Chewbacca.

She wished she had a holorecoder, just to listen to Chewbacca’s howl and Jaldin’s ear-piercing shriek over and over again and laugh until her sides hurt. Though seeing him get thrown across the room by something he was absolutely terrified of was good enough for now. Gesturing to the rest of the group, she followed Chewbacca into the room. 

To the right of a completely squashed Jaldin, Kassa was petting a serious-looking Shrapnel. Besides Dagio, Kassa had been the first member of Blade Squadron to insist that Anida stand up for Shrapnel. They upgraded the droid regularly at Dagio’s request, and the droid clearly remembered that kindness.

She cursed. She’d wanted to tell Kassa the bad news herself, but it appeared from the Mikkian’s red eyes that Shrapnel had beat her to it.

As the rest of the group entered the control room, Anida made her way over to Kassa. She’d barely gotten within a few feet when they lunged at her, grabbing the lapels of her coat and hanging on for dear life. Tearstains joined the drying blood on the coat’s fabric.

“Tell me it’s not true!”

“Kass-”

“Tarkin sent them down there as punishment for speaking up, they were guarding Raymus Hannica as he landed, they were still in the air, they could have gotten out, they were assigned to Blade Squadron for a reason-”

Tarkin. So he had been responsible for their deaths. Both Tis’bedi and Dagio hated guarding other pilots, especially inept ones. And Raymus Hannica had always held too high an opinion of his own skills. He had sent them down there as punishment knowing that the planet would be destroyed before they could get off. Even the best pilot couldn’t outrun a shockwave of that magnitude. 

“-I mean I know that Lizdan wasn’t a threat, she’s loyal to the Empire, they shouldn’t have put her in there with Leia Organa, but they were yelling about it to Tarkin’s face and then when he brought you up as a traitor Tis’bedi nearly took his head off-”

Forcing Lizdan to watch from a cell as her entire planet died. If someone didn’t kill Tarkin before all this was over, she would. But not yet. Now, she had to break the news to Dagio’s best friend and Tis’bedi’s friendly rival that neither of them would be coming back.

“Kassa.” Her voice was low and soft, like she was talking to a wild animal. “I wish it wasn’t true either. You have no idea how much I wish that. But I felt it. They’re gone.”

Kassa’s head tendrils, always moving as much as their mouth was, went completely still. For a moment they simply stood there, mouth opening and closing with no words coming out. Then the Mikkian crumpled against Anida’s chest, shoulders shaking with silent sobs.


End file.
